SALVATION   FROM  SIN, 


THE    END    OF 


CHRISTIAN    FAITH. 


BY 


JOHN    HUMPHREY    NOTES. 


"If  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  God  is  in  tlie  liglit,  we  have  conimuuism  one 
with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  iiis  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all 
shi." — 1  John,  1 :  7. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  ONEIDA  COMMUNITY, 
ONEIDA,    N.    Y. 

1S7('>. 


DUKE 

UNIVERSITY 

LIBRARY 

Treasure  %oom 

SALVATION   FROM  SIN, 


THE    END    OF 


CHRISTIAN    FAITH, 


BY 


JOHN    HUMPHEEY    NOTES. 


"If  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  God  is  iu  the  light,  we  h;ive  communism  one 
with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all 
sin." — 1  John,  1 :  7. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  ONEIDA  COMMUNITY, 
ONEIDA,    N.    Y. 

1876. 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 
in  2010  witii  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


littp://www.arcliive.org/details/salvationfromsinOOnoye 


n 


SALVATION  FROM  SIN. 


"  Leaving-  the  first  principles  of   the  doctrine  of   Christ,  let  us  go  on   unto   per 
fection." — Heb.  vi.  1. 


1.    HOLINESS   THE   PRINCIPAL  OBJECT   OF   THE 
ATONEMENT. 

"  This  is  a  faithful  sayiug,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that 
Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  si/iners-."  From  what 
does  lie  propose  to  save  them  ?  A  few  plain  texts  of  Scripture 
will  answer  this  question. 

On  the  first  pag-e  of  the  New  Testament  it  is  written,  "  She 
[Mary]  shall  bring-  forth  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name 
JESLTS  [Saviour]  for  /le  shall  save  his  people  fioia  their  srxs." 
Matt.  1  :  21.  "  Wliat  tlic  law  could  not  do.  in  that  it  was  weak 
through  the  flesh,  God,  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness 
of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh  :  that 
the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  he  fulfilled  in  us^  Rom.  8  :  3, 
4.  "  Christ  loved  the  Churcli.  and  gave  himself  for  it,  thai  he 
might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it."  Eph.  5  :  25,  26.  "  You,  that  were 
some  time  alienated,  and  enemies  in  your  mind  by  wicked  works, 
yet  now  hath  he  reconciled,  in  the  body  of  liis  flesh  through 
death,  to  present  you  holy,  and  unblamable,  and  unreprovable  in 
his  sight:'  Col.  1  :  21,  22.  "  Who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he 
might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity^'  Titus  2  :  14.  These  texts 
explicitly  declare  the  object  of  the  mission  and  sacrifice  of  Christ 
to  be  the  salvation  of  his  people,  not  merely  or  primarily  from 
the  consequences  of  th.eir  sins,  but  from  their  sins  themselves. 

Dividing  salvation  into  two  great  parts,  viz.,  forgiveness  of  pat:t 
sin,  and  purification  from  {treseut  sin,  it  is  plainly  implied  in  nearly 
all  the  declarations  of  the  Bible  touching  the  subject,  that  the 
latter  part  is  \\w  primary,  and  the  formei-  the  secondary  o\:)';\Qci  of 

(3) 


4  Object  of  the  Atonement. 

the  work  of  Christ.  This  appears  in  the  above  quotations.  Puri- 
fication was  so  much  more  prominent  than  fbroiveness  in  the  niinds 
of  the  New  Testament  writers,  that  their  language  in  those  pas- 
sages, and  many  others,  wouhl  almost  lead  to  the  conclusion  that 
it  was  the  only  object  of  the  atonement.  The  promise  of  the 
new  covenant,  as  quoted  by  Paul  in  Heb.  10  :  16,  17,  exhibits 
both  parts  of  salvation,  in  their  proper  order  of  importance. 
"  This  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  them  after  those 
days,  saith  the  Lord  ;  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  hearts^  and 
in  their  minds  will  I  write  them  ;  [this  is  purification  ;]  and  their 
sins  and  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more .'"  [this  is  forgiveness.] 
It  is  true  that  forgiveness,  in  the  order  of  time,  necessarily  pre- 
cedes purification.  The  past  must  be  forgiven,  before  men  can 
be  saved  from  the  present  and  future  power  of  sin.  Hence  we 
find  salvation  set  forth  iu  the  following  manner  :  "  If  we  confess 
our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrigh teousness."  1  John  1  :  9.  Here  the 
order  of  the  actual  process  of  salvation  is  exhibited  :  1st,  con- 
fession ;  2d,  forgiveness  ;  3d,  purification.  But  it  is  obvious  that 
forgiveness,  instead  of  taking  precedence  of  purification  in  impor- 
tance, only  bears  the  relation  to  it  of  means  to  an  end.  God 
pardons  us  that  he  may  cleanse  us.  Forgiveness  is  the  founda- 
tion of  ])urification  ;  but  purification  is  that,  without  which  for- 
giveness would  be  worthless,  as  a  foundation  would  be  worthless 
without  a  superstructure. 

When,  therefore,  Christ  is  called  the  "  Lamb  of  God.  that 
tuketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world"  we  understand  the  language 
as  meaning  more  than  that  by  the  atonement  he  has  provided  for 
the  fo)given<.is  of  mankind,  and  so  has  taken  away  the  legal  con- 
sequences of  sin.  The  "  taking  away  of  sij^s  "  is  spoken  of  in 
Heb.  10  :  4,  as  equivalent  to  a  cleansing,  by  which  the  conscience 
is  purged  from  sin,  and  by  which  "  the  comer  thereto  is  made 
perfect^'  The  apostle  says  that  the  sacrifices  of  the  law  could  not 
effect  this  cleansing  ;  but  he  holds  up  the  sacrifice  of  the  Lamb 
of  God,  as  able  thus  to  "  take  away  sins."  His  language  is  : 
"  By  the  which  will  [the  will  of  God  executed  by  Christ  on  the 
cross,  which  will  is  given  to  believers  by  the  Holy  Spirit],  we  are 
sanctified,  through  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once 
for  all."  Yer.  10.     And  again.  "  By  one  offering  he  hath  forever 


Sins  of  Old  Testament  Sa'mts.  5 

perfected  them  that  are  sanctified."  Ver.  14.  This  language  cer- 
tainly ascribes  a  purifying  power  to  the  atonement,  and,  indeed, 
in  such  a  way  as  wholly  to  eclipse  its  purchase  of  forgiveness. 
It  is  said  in  1  John  3  :  5,  that  Christ  "  was  manifested  to  lair 
away  our  sins  f^  and  the  meaning  of  the  expression  is  clearl} 
determined  by  what  immediately  follows  :  "  Whof<oever  ahideth 
in  him  SINNETH  NOT ;  wliosoever  sinnetli  Jiath  not  M>en  hlui, 
neither  known  hirnj^  He  "  takes  away  sin  "  in  such  a  way,  that 
they  who  avail  themselves  of  his  sacrifice  do  not  commit  sin. 

This  view  of  tlic  ol)ject  for  which  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world  and  laid  down  his  life,  and  this  view  alone,  justifies  us  in 
calling  the  message  which  came  by  him,  "  the.  glorious  gospel  of 
the  blessed  God."  A  "  gospel "  is  (lood  neios,  "  glad  tidings  of  great 
joy."  Luke  2  :  10.  But  Jesus  Christ  brought  no  new-s  to  the 
world,  if  his  message  was  merely  or  chiefly  a  proclamation  of 
pardon.  Forgiveness  had  been  promised  to  the  penitent  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world.  God  had  proclaimed  himself  to  Moses 
and  the  children  of  Israel,  "  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering, 
and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands, 
forgiving  iniquity,  transgression  and  sin."  Ex.  34  :  6,  7.  The 
"  glad  tidings  of  great  joy"  which  the  angels  represented  as  com- 
ing with  the  birth  of  Christ,  were  in  fact  tidings  of  things  well 
known  to  the  prophets  and  patriarchs,  if  they  related  only  to  the 
pardoning  mercy  of  God.  But  if  Jesus  Chdst  came  proclaiming 
not  only  the  mercy  of  God  in  pardoning  sin,  but  also  his  power  to 
cleanse  and  preserve  from  sin  ;  if  in  addition  to  the  forgiveness 
which  was  given  to  the  patriarchs  and  prophets,  he  proposed  to 
clothe  believers  with  the  robe  of  righteousness  ;  in  a  word,  if  it 
was,  as  we  have  shown,  his  peculiar  office  to  "  save  his  people 
from  their  sins"  then  truly  he  brought  "  good  news"  to  the  world 
— his  message  is  worthy  to  be  called  "  the  glorious  gospel." 


11.  THE   SINS   OP   THE   OLD   TESTAMENT    SAINTS 
IRRELEVANT. 

It  is  obvious  that  the  doctrine  of  salvation  from  sin,  thus  exhib 
ited,  is  not  liable  to  any  objections  drawn  from  th6  experience  of 
saints  who  lived  before  the  manifestation  of  Christ.     We  do  not 


6  'SV?/.s-  of  Old  Teslament  S'^xrnts. 

rely  at  all  upon  the  use  of  the  word  perfect  in  reference  to  Noah, 
Job,  «fec. ;  and  we  have  no  occasion  to  prove  that  any  of  the  "  Old 
Testament  saints"  were  free  from  sin.  On  the  contrary  wc  ad- 
mit, nay  we  insist,  that  salvation  from  sin  "  was  unknown  to  the 
a«res  and  o-cncrations"of  the  Jewish  dispensation,  and  was  revealed 
only  after  the  corainu-  of  Christ.  We  draw  a  very  broad  line  of 
distinction  between  the  dispensation  before,  and  the  dispensation 
after  the  manifestation  of  Christ.  To  adduce  the  sins  of  Moses 
and  David,  as  proof  that  the  gospel  does  not  give  entire  salvation 
from  sin,  is  to  overlook  altogether  this  distinction  of  dispensations, 
and  in  fact  to  assume  that  Jesus  Christ  brought  no  new  blessings 
to  the  world.  This  is  as  absurd  as  it  would  be  to  undertake  to 
disprove  the  realities  of  the  wonders  effected  at  the  present  time 
bv  steam  power  and  the  art  of  printing,  by  referring  to  facts  that 
occurred  a  thousand  years  ago.  For  we  affirm,  and  have  shown, 
and  shall  sliow  niorc  abundantly,  that  the  coming  of  Jesus  Christ 
eifoeted  a  revolution  in  the  condition  of  mankind  with  reference 
to  spiritual  privilege,  as  great  as  was  eflFected  in  mechanics  and 
letters,  by  the  discovery  of  steam  power,  and  the  invention  of  the 
press. 

The  Old  Testament  saints  did  indeed  foresee  the  coming  ol 
Christ,  and  rejoice  in  view  of  the  blessings  he  was  to  bring.  The 
prophets  foretold  that  a  "way  of  holiness"  should  be  cast  up; 
that  a  "new  covenant,"  securing  obedience,  should  be  given  to 
God's  people  ;  that  they  should  be  "  sprinkled  with  clean  water," 
and  "a  new  heart  and  right  spirit"  should  be  given  them.  But 
that  this  foresight  did  not  by  any  means  amount  to  a  possess/on 
of  the  salvation  of  the  gospel,  is  very  evident  from  tlie  following 
declaration  of  Peter  :  "Ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory  ;  receiving  the  end  of  your  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  yon r 
souls:  of  which  salvation  the  prophets  have  inquired  and  searched 
diligently,  who  prophesied  of  the  grace  that  should  come  unto  you  : 
searching  what,  or  what  manner  of  time  the  Spirit  of  Christ  which 
was  in  them  did  signify,  when  it  testified  beforehand  ihe  sufferings 
nf  Christ  and  the  glory  that  should  FOLLOW.  Unto  whom  it  was 
revealed,  that  not  unto  themselves,  but  unto  us,  they  did  minis- 
ter the  things  which  are  now  reported  unto  you  by  them  that  have 
preached  the  gospel  unto  you,  with  ihe  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from 
heaven."  1  Pet.  1  :  8-12.  This  passage  represents  the  saints  of  the 


Sms  of  Old  Testament  Saints.  7 

primitive  cliurcli  as  receiving  "  a  salvation  of  their  souls,"  wbich 
the  Old  Testament  prophets  only  Jo  retold  as  about  to  come  after 
the  sufferings  of  G/wist. 

But  an  objector  may  ask,  "  Were  not  tlie  Old  Testament  saints 
saved?"  We  answer.  Yes  ;  but  not  till  Christ  came  in  the  flesh. 
Paul,  speaking  of  the  whole  line  from  Abel  downward,  says — 
"These  all,  having  obtained  good  report  through  faith,  received 
Wit  ihe iiromine.,  God  having  provided  some  better  thing  for  us,  that 
iliey  WITHOUT  US  should  not  be  mode 'perfect."  Heb.  11  :  39,  40.  Per- 
fect holiness  (and  of  course  salvation)  was  given  to  the  saints  in 
this  world  and  in  the  spiritual  world  at  the  same  time  ;  and  it  was 
not  given  to  either,  till  the  reconciliation  of  the  divine  and  hu- 
man natures  was  effected  by  the  incarnation  and  death  of  Christ. 

''  But  the  Old  Testament  saints  certainly  had  faith  ;  and  was  it 
■lot  .sayt72^  faith  ?"  It  was  saving  in  this  respect — it  kept  them 
from  despair,  and  from  such  gross  transgressions  as  would  have 
sealed  tbeir  ruin,  and  gave  them  a  hope,  more  or  less  clear  and 
joyful,  of  ultimate,  complete  redemption  ;  but  it  did  not  save  them 
from  sill — it  did  not  put  them  iii  possession  of  that  which  the) 
hoped  for.  "  They  died  in  faith,  not  having  received  the  promises, 
but  having  seen  them  afar  off."  Heb.  11  :  13.  Their  faith,  like  a 
cable  that  connects  a  ship  with  the  shore,  connected  them  with  a 
future  salvation.  The  end  of  their  faith,  the  shore  which  they 
hoped  for,  was  perfect  holiness  ;  but  that  shore  they  never  reached, 
till  after  "  the  sufferings  of  Christ" — the  outpouring  of  the  blood 
of  the  new  covenant.  Then  the  saints  on  earth  and  in  heaven 
"  received  the  end  of  their  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  their  souls." 

"  Were  not  the  Old  Testament  saints  born  of  God  till  the  times 
of  the  new  covenant?"  No;  for  Christ  was  the  "first-born" 
among  all  his  brethren  ;  (Rom.  8  :  29  ;)  "  the  head  of  the  body, 
the  church  ;  the  bejinning,  ih'  first-horn  from  iJte  dead."  Col.  1: 
18.  The  saints  that  lived  before  his  manifestation,  wore  heirs  of 
a  future  sonship  ;  i.  e.,  they  had  the  promise  of  God  that  they 
should  be  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature  at  a  future  timo. 
They  were  thus  prospectively  "  children  ;"  but  expe rime n lull y  they 
were  '^  servants."  and  did  not  receive  the  spirit  of  adoj)tion  till  the 
introduction  of  the  Christian  dispensation.  All  this  is  plainly  set 
fortli  in  the  following  passage :  "  The  heir,  as  lon-i  as  he  is  a  cliild, 
d/ff(-)'eth  notlilng  from  a  servant,  though  he  be  lord  of  all  ;  but  is 


8  Sins  of  Old  Testament  Saints. 

under  tutors  and  governors,  uiUil  the  time  appointed  of  the  father. 
Even  so  we,  when  we  were  children,  were  iii  bondage  under  the 
elements  of  the  world.  But  when  the  fullness  of  the  time  was 
come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the 
law.  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  re- 
ceive the  adoption  of  sons.  And  because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath 
sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba, 
Father.  Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a  son."  Gal. 
4  :  1-7.  The  line  of  division  between  the  servant  dispensation, 
and  the  son  dispensation,  clearly  lies  where  God  sent  his  Son  into 
the  world,  and,  after  his  sufferings,  poured  out  the  Holy  Spirit. 

In  denying  that  the  Old  Testament  saints  were  born  of  God, 
we  must  not  be  understood  as  denying  that  they  had  any  religion. 
It  appears  by  the  passage  above  quoted,  that  there  arc  two  dis- 
tinct stages  in  religious  experievce.  in  the  first  of  which  men  may 
properly  be  called  servants  of  God,  while  yet  they  are  not  sons. 
It  is  imj)ortant  that  this  distinction  should  be  clearly  seen,  and 
constantly  kept  in  view.  We  admit,  and  teach,  that  the  Old 
Testament  saints  were  servants  of  God  in  tlie  ages  before  Christ, 
and  that  they  became  sons  at  his  coming. 

'•  But  what  is  the  difference  between  servants  and  sons  ?  Did  not 
the  Old  Testament  saints  love  God  ?"  Yes  ;  and  so  many  servants 
love  and  honor  their  masters,  while  yet  there  is  no  vital  union, 
no  hlood-relationship  between  them.  So  there  was  no  vital  union 
between  God  and  man,  till  Christ  came  in  the  flesh.  Abraham 
was  called  the  friend  of  God,  and  he  doubtless  loved  God  as  a 
man  loves  his  friend  ;  but  it  is  not  said  in  scripture,  and  it  is  not 
true,  that  Christ  was  in  him  ;  that  he  dwelt  in  God,  and  God  in 
him.  This  spiritual  indwelling  was  "  hid  from  ages  and  from 
generations,"  and  was  manifested  only  after  the  mission  of  Christ. 
Col.  1  :  26,  27.  It  is  this  that  brings  men  into  hlood-relationship 
to  God,  so  that  they  are  entitled  to  t1ie  name  of  "sons  of 
God." 

It  is  written,  '■'■  Every  one  that  loveth  is  horn  of  0<rl.''^  1 
John  4  :  7.  You  admit  that  the  Old  Testament  saints  loved 
God  ;  does  it  not  necessarily  follow  that  they  were  born  of 
God  ?"  No  ;  for  while  we  admit  that  they  loved  God  as  a  man 
loves  his  friend,  we  deny  that  they  loved  him  "  with  alt  their 
heart  f^  and  this  is  the  only  kind  of  love  that  is  approved  by  the 


Shis  of  Old  Testament  Saints.  9 

law.  Any  measure  of  love  short  of  this,  however  useful  it  may 
be  ill  its  external  effects,  and  as  a  prepavati'm  for  ultimate  holiness, 
is  not  love  in  a  legal  point  of  view,  and  is  not  the  love  which 
John  had  in  mind  when  he  said,  "  He  that  loveth  is  born  of  God  ;" 
for  he  subsequently  defines  the  love  which  constitutes  men  sons 
of  God,  thus  :  "  Ood  is  loue^  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelkth 
in  God  and  God  in  himy  Ver.  16.  Here  it  appears  that  the 
love  of  which  John  is  speaking-  is  not  a  friendly  feeling  originat- 
ing in  a  man's  own  heart,  but  the  love  of  God  "  shed,  ahroad  in 
the  heart  hi/  the  Holy  Ghost  f'  it  is  love  which  man  can  never 
manufacture  by  the  working  of  his  own  will,  but  which  must  be 
attained  by  dwelling  in  God,  who  alone  loves  with  the  strength 
required  by  the  law.  This  kind  of  love  was  not  in  the  world, 
till  Christ  reconciled  and  identified  the  divine  and  human  natures. 

"  But  were  not  the  Old  Testament  saints  partakers  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  T  They  were,  in  an  inferior  sense.  The  relation  which 
they  sustained  to  God,  of  servants  or  friends,  did  not  exclude 
them  from  his  favorable  regard  and  from  his  spiritual  blessing. 
There  was  undoubtedly  such  fellowship  of  spirit  between  them 
and  God,  as  may  exist  between  friends.  They  were  instructed, 
guided,  and  comforted  by  the  Holy  Sjfirit.  But  this  communion 
was  not  radical  enough  to  make  them  one  with  God.  They  were 
affianced,  but  not  married.  Their  fellowship  with  God  was  not 
continuous,  and  as  compared  with  that  which  is  given  by  tlie  new 
covenant,  was  external.  It  could  not  be  said  of  them,  that  they 
dwelt  in  God  and  God  in  them.  It  is  evident  that  they  were  not 
partakers  ol  the  same  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  that  given 
under  the  Christian  dispensation,  from  the  following  passage : 
"  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and 
cried,  saying.  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink. 
He  that  bclieveth  on  me,  as  the  scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his 
belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water.  But  this  sj)ake  he  of 
the  Spirit,  which  tliey  that  believe  on  him  should  receive  ;  for 
the  Holy  Ghod  ivas  not  yet  given,  because  that  Jesus  was  not  yet 
glorified."  John  7  :  37-39. 

The  Old  Testament  saints  had  enough  of  the  Spirit's  influence 
to  give  them  that  hopeful  faith  which  we  have  described.  Still 
it  is  true,  that  the  principal  moral  influence  under  which  they 
lived  was  tlte  law  ;  and  "  the  law  made  nothing  perfect."  Heb. 


]  0  sins  of  the  Disciples. 

7  :  19.  Indeed  it  was  not  tlie  desi^gn  of  the  law  to  save  men  from 
sin,  but  simply  to  keep  them  within  the  reach  of  the  ultimate 
spiritual  au-eney  of  Chiist  ;  just  as  the  shecpfold  is  not  intended 
!()  wash  the  sheep,  hut  to  keep  them  within  such  bounds  that  the 
sliephord  can  take  them  and  wash  them  himself.  So  far  as  the  law 
produced  any  dirrcj  effect  on  moral  character,  it  increased  rather 
than  diminislied  sin.  It  "  entered  that  the  ojfe.nce  might  abound." 
Ivom.  5  :  20.  This  effect  was  nevertheless  subservient  to  the 
general  design  of  the  legal  dispensation,  which  was  to  prepare 
men  for  the  subsequent  spiritual  dispensation  ;  since  the  law,  in 
aggravating  sin,  ripened  conviction ^'sm^  so  made  men  sensible  of 
their  need  of  an  almighty  Saviour.  The  preparatory  character 
of  the  legal  dispensation  is  set  forth  in  the  following  passage  : 
■'  Before  faith  came,  wo  were  kepi  under  the  laio,  shut  vp  unto  the 
faith  which  should  afterwards  be  revealed.  Wherefore  the  law 
was  our  achootinnder  to  bring  u^  to  Christy  that  we  might  be  jus- 
tified by  faith.  But  after  that  faith  is  come,  we  are  no  longer 
under  a  schoolmaster  ;  for  ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith 
in  Clirist  Jesus."  Gal.  3  :  23-26. 

We  conclude,  from  this  view  of  the  condition  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament saints,  that  their  sins  cannot  be  pertinently  alleged  as 
objections  to  the  doctrine  of  salvation  from  sin. 

III.  THE  SINS  OF  CHRIST'S  DISCIPLES,  DURING  HIS 
PERSONAL  MINISTRY,  IRRELEVANT. 

We  are  not  yet  past  the  difficulties  of  our  doctrine.  The 
objector  may  still  allege,  that  sin  remained  in  "  the  saints  "  after 
the  coming  of  Christ.  It  is  manifest  that  the  disciples,  while 
Christ  was  with  them  personally,  were  not  free  from  sin.  They 
exhibited  a  hasty  and  bigoted  zeal,  in  proposing  to  call  fire  from 
heaven  to  consume  their  opposers.  Luke  9  :  54.  Carnal  ambition 
and  childish  rivalry  ap])eared  among  them.  Luke  9  :  -Ki.  At  the' 
cross  they  all  forsook  their  niiister  ;  and  Peter,  the  boldest  and 
most  devoted  of  them,  th.rice  denied  him  with  cursing  and  oaths. 
"  All  this  shows  (the  objector  may  say)  that  salvation  from  sin 
did  not  come  into  the  world  with  the  coming  of  Christ."  We 
admit  the  facts,  but  deny  the  inference.  In  order  to  show  that 
the  sins  of  the  disciples  during  the  personal  ministry  of  Christ, 


Sins  of  the  Disciples.  11 

have  no  force  as  objections  to  our  doctrine,  we  will  now  bring  to 
view  more  distinctly  than  we  liave  yet  done,  the  process  by  which 
salvation  from  sin  is  effected,  and  ascertain  more  exactly  when 
the  Christian  dispensation  commenced. 

The  gospel  is  "  the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God," 
1  Cor.  1  :  24.  In  other  words,  salvation  is  effected  by  two  agen- 
cies, viz.,  the  Spirit  and  the  truth.  The  Spirit  is  the  living  (igent 
in  the  work,  and  the  truth  is  its  instrument.  2  Thess.  2  :  13. 
1  Pet.  1  :  22,  &c.  Now  the  question  is,  at  wliat  time  in  the  history 
of  Christ's  mission,  were  these  two  agencies,  in  the  gos'pel  sense, 
introduced  and  applied?  We  grant  that  partial  measures  of  the 
Spirit  and  the  truth  were  given  to  men  in  all  ages.  Yet  it  is  true 
in  an  important  sense  that  "  grace  and  truth  came  [only]  by  Jesus 
Christ ;"  (John  1  :  17  ;)  so  that  the  question  is  pertinent  and  in- 
telligible—  When  iccis  the  Spirit  anel  truth  pi-cuViar  to  the  Chris- 
tian, disp  nxution.  given  to  viavJcindf  We  have  alreadv  seen  a 
plain  intimation  in  tlie  passage  quoted  from  1  Pet.  1,  that  the 
gospel  of  present  salvation  went  forth  subsequently  to  "  the  suffer- 
ings <)t'  Clu'idJ^  Ver.  11.  That  gospel  is  also  specially  charac- 
terized by  the  fact  that  it  was  "preached  with,  (he  Holy  Gisost 
sent  down  from  heaven."  Ver.  12.  We  know  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  as  promised  for  the  "  last  days,"  was  not  sent  down  from 
heaven  till  after  tlie  "sufferings  of  Christ."  ''The  Tlohj  Ghost 
was  not  yet  given  [i.  e.  during  the  personal  ministry  of  Christ,! 
because  that  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified."  John  7  :  39.  "  When  h 
ascended  up  on  high^  he  led  captivity  captive,  and  [having  thus 
secured  a  channel  for  his  spiritual  power]  gave  gifts  unto 
men."  Ephesians  4:8.  "  If  I  go  not  au)ay"  said  Jesus,  "  the 
Comforter  [i.  e.  the  Spirit  of  t!ie  Christian  dispensation]  will 
not  come  unto  you :  but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  nnto 
you."  John  16  :  7.  Thus  it  is  plain  that  the  spiritual  ageitt  of 
salvation  which  Christ  came  to  give  the  world,  was  not  in  the 
world  at  the  time  when  the  disciples  were  guilty  of  the  sins 
alleged  against  tliem. 

Neither  were  they  at  that  time  in  possession  of  the  truth  by 
which  salvation  i-s  effected.  The  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ 
are  the  great  facts  employed  in  the  salvation  of  souls.  These  are 
the  things  "  reported"  in  the  gospel — the  instruments  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.     "  Brethren,"  says   Paul,  "  I  declare  unto  you  the  gospel, 


12  Sins  of  the  Disciplex. 

which  I  preached  to  you,  wliich  also  ye  have  received,  and  wherein 
ye  stand;  hy  which  also  ye  are  saved.  [What  is  that  gospel? 
The  ajjostle  answers  :j  I  delivered  unto  you,  Jirst  of  all^  that 
which  1  also  received,  how  that  Christ  died  for  oar  sins,  accord- 
ing- to  the  scrij)turos  ;  and  that  he  was  buried,  and  that  he  7^ose 
ayain  the  third  day,  according  to  the  scriptures."  1  Cor.  15  :  1-4. 
Accordingly,  tlie  same  a])ostle  charges  Timothy  to  remember  the 
resurrection  as  the  principal  matter  of  his  gos])el,  (2  Tim.  2  :  8,) 
and  makes  belief  in  the  resurrection  the  very  basis  of  salvation. 
Rom.  10  :  9.  In  foet  Paul's  uospol  was  briefly  this  :  "  Christ  died, 
rose  from  the  dead,  ascended  on  high,  and  sent  forth  the  Holy 
Spirit.  By  tliat  Spirit  we  are  bajitized  into  Christ  and  made  par- 
takers of  his  spiritual  condition  ;  so  Wx^Xheing  crucified  with  him, 
we  are  dead  to  sin,  and  liaving  risen  -with  him,  we  live  to  holiness." 
See  Rom.  G  :  1,  &c. ;  2  Cor.  6  :  14-16  ;  Eph.  1  :  19.  Now  it  is  evi- 
dent that  this  gospel  could  not  be  j)reached  until  Christ  had  died 
and  risen.  Even  if  the  Holy  Spirit  had  been  given  before,  it 
would  not  have  had  its  instruments.  The  facts  necessary  to  sal- 
vation were  not  in  existence. 

It  is  manifest  that  Christ  did  not  enter  upon  his  ofiice  as  a 
savior  from  sin  till  after  his  death,  from  a  great  variety  of  such 
pasoages  as  the  following  :  "  Though  he  were  a  son,  yet  learned 
he  obedience  by  the  things  which  he  suffered  ;  atid  being  made 
perfect,  [i.  e.  by  the  death  of  the  cross,]  he  became  the  aiUhor 
of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him."  Heb.  5  :  8,  9. 
"  Where  a  testament  is,  there  must  also  of  necessity  be  the  death 
of  the  testator  :  for  a  testament  is  of  force  after  men  are  dead: 
otherwise  it  is  of  no  strength  at  all  while  the  testator  liveth."  Heb. 
9  :  16,  17.  In  accordance  with  the  doctrine  of  these  passages, 
Christ  speaks  of  the  "  new  covenant,"  or  what  is  the  same  thing, 
the  "covenant  of  salvation  from  sin,  as  being  "  in  his  blood." 
(Luke  22  :  20.)  and  intimates  that  his  blood  must  be  shed,  before 
men  could  partake  of  the  blessings  of  that  covenant. 

The  sins,  then,  of  the  disciples,  before  the  death  of  Christ,  stand 
on  the  same  ground  with  the  sins  of  the  Old  Testament  saints. 
They  occurred  before  tlie  Christian  dispensation  began  ;  i.  e.  be- 
fore the  introduction  and  application  of  the  great  agencies  of  sal- 
vation, viz.,  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  (see  Gal.  4  :  6,)  and  the  truth 
concerning  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ.     We  must  look 


Sins  in  the  Primitive  Church.  13 

to  the  period  subsequent  to  the  day  of  Pentecost,  for  test-examples 
of  the  nature  and  extent  of  Christian  salvation. 

That  the  disciples  were  not  Christians  in  the  proper  sense  of 
that  term,  during  Christ's  personal  ministry,  is  evident  from  the 
language  Christ  used  toward  Peter.  In  one  instance  he  called 
him  Satan,  (Mark  8  :  33,)  and  in  another  instance  he  said  to  him, 
"  When  thou  art  converted,  strengthen  thy  brethren,"  (Luke  22  : 
32,)  implying  that  he  was  not  then  converted. 

What  has  been  already  said  of  the  condition  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment saints,  as  servants  under  the  law,  and  heirs  of  the  future 
blessings  of  the  gospel,  may  be  applied,  without  any  essential 
alteration,  to  the  condition  of  the  disciples  before  the  day  of 
Pentecost. 

IV.   THE    SINS    OF   BELIEVERS,   DURING   THE   APOS- 
TOLIC AGE,   IRRELEVANT. 

Finally  it  may  be  objected  to  our  doctrine,  that  the  saints  oi' 
the  apostolic  age,  though  they  lived  after  the  death  and  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ  and  the  effusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  were  there- 
fore certainly  subjects  of  the  Christian  dispensation,  did  neverthe- 
less commit  sin.  This  objection  is  more  pertinent  and  formidable 
than  any  that  have  gone  before.  We  come  to  the  issue  now  on 
gospel  ground.  The  apostolic  age  is  certainly  the  period,  where 
the  question  whether  the  gospel  gives  salvation  from  sin  in  this 
world,  is  finally  to  be  tried.  We  admit,  if  it  can  be  shown  that 
none  of  the  saints  of  that  age  were  saved  from  sin,  our  doctrine, 
by  the  test  of  experience,  is  proved  false.  And  on  the  other  hand 
we  insist,  if  it  can  be  shown  that  any  in  that  age  were  saved  from 
sin,  by  the  same  test  our  doctrine  is  proved  true.  Dismissing 
from  our  minds,  as  irrelevant,  the  history  of  the  saints  of  all  ages 
before,  and  of  all  ages  since,  we  will  now  bring  the  gospel  to  the 
test  of  the  experience  of  the  juMmitivc  church. 

In  many  cases,  the  power  of  an  agency  is  not  to  be  estimated 
by  its  immediate  effects.  The  healing  efficacy  of  medicine,  for 
instance,  is  not  to  be  judged  by  the  symptoms  which  it  produces 
instantly  after  being  taken.  We  must  wait  till  it  has  had  time 
sufficient  for  a  legitimate  operation.  We  affirm  that  the  gospel 
is  a  medicine  competent  to  the  complete  cure  of  sin.     That  medi- 


14  Sins  in  t/ie  Primitive  Church. 

cine  (at  least,  tiie  principal  element  of  it)  vvar^  given  to  the  primi- 
tive church  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  But  it  does  not  necessarily 
follow  tiiat  on  tlie  day  of  Pentecost,  or  within  any  very  short 
period  afterwards,  it  exhibited  its  full  efficacy.  The  process  by 
which  full  salvation  is  efiected,  is  one  that  requires  time,  because 
it  is  not  merely  a  spiritual  operation,  but  an  exliibition  and  appli- 
cation of  truth.  The  office  of  the  Comforter  is  to  "  take  of  the 
thinys  of  Christ  and  .show  thevi  unto  hellevers."  John  16  :  14. 
On  the  day  of  Pentecost  it  began  its  work,  but  it  did  not  imme- 
diately show  the  disciples  all  the  things  of  Christ.  They  then 
entered  the  school  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  they  did  not  graduate 
in  one  day.  They  were  evidently  then,  and  for  a  long  time  after- 
wards, in  a  great  measure,  ignorant  of  the  true  nature  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.  It  was  ten  years  after  the  day  of  Pentecost 
before  they  understood  that  they  were  at  liberty  to  preach  to  the 
Gentiles,  though  Christ  expressly  commissioned  them  to  "  teach 
all  nations."  In  many  other  cases,  the  things  which  he  had 
spoken  to  them  they  did  not  apprehend  at  once,  even  after  the 
Comforter  had  come,  but  they  were  "  brought  to  their  remem- 
brance" from  time  to  time  ;  e.g.,  Acts  11  :  16.  Their  introduc- 
tion to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  was  progressive,  and  it  began 
with  the  most  simple  external  rudiments.  They  preached  at  first 
the  death  of  Christ  as  a  reason  for  repentance,  and  his  resurrec- 
tion as  proof  of  his  Messiahship  ;  but  there  is  no  reason  to  believe 
that  they  perceived  the  deep  si)iritual  meaning  and  efficiency  of 
those  great  facts  of  the  gospel. 

It  cannot  be  re[)eated  too  often,  that  salvation  from  sin  is 
eflfected  by  the  spiritual  application  of  the  death  and  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ.  Believers,  beholding  these  facts  by  the  illumina- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit,  receive  the  assimilating  impress  of  them. 
Christ's  death  becomes  their  death,  and  his  resurrection  their 
resurrection.  Thus  they  die  to  sin  and  live  to  God.  Until  these 
facts  are  thus  ap})rehended,  the  truth  of  the  gospel  has  not  had 
its  operation,  though  the  Spirit  of  the  Christian  dispensation 
may  have  been  received.  Let  us  look  at  a  specimen  of  Paul's 
preaching  on  this  point.  "  Know  ye  not,"  says  he,  "  that  so  many 
of  us  as  were  baptized  [?".  e.,  by  the  Holy  Spirit]  into  Jesus  Christ, 
were  baptized  into  his  death  ?  Therefore  we  are  buried  with 
him  by  baptism  into  death,  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  from 


Sins  in  the  Primitive  Church.  15 

the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk 
in  ne^viiess  of  life.  For  if  we  have  been  planted  tognthcr  in  the 
likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resur- 
rection ;  [this  would  not  follow  if  tlie  apostle  were  spcakiny-  of 
water  baptism  ;]  knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  witli 
him,  t/nit  the  hnhj  of  sin  might  be  destroyed.,  that  henceforth  wc 
shonld  not  serve  sin  /  for  he  that  is  dead  is  freed  from  sin. 
'Now,  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we  believe  that  we  shall  alao 
live  with  him  ;  knowing  that  Christ,  being  raised  from  tlie  dead, 
dieth  no  more  ;  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over  him.  For  in 
tliat  he  died,  he  died  unto  sin  once  ;  but  in  that  he  liveth,  he  liv- 
eth  unto  God.  Likewise  recJcon  ye  also  yourselves  to  he  dead 
indeed  unto  sin,  hut  alive  unto  God  through  Jesu^  Christ  our 
Lord.  Let  not  sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  bodies,  that 
ye  should  obey  it  in  the  lusts  thereof;  neither  yield  ye  your  mem- 
bers as  instruments  of  unrighteousness  unto  sin  ;  but  yield  your- 
selves unto  God,  as  those  that  are  alive  from  tlie  dead,  and  your 
members  as  instruments  of  rigliteousness  unto  God.  Lnr  sin 
shall  hot  have  doininion  over  yow^^  Rom.  6  :  3-14.  Here  we 
have  Paul's  gospel — "  Christ  crucified,  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation  "  from  sin.  But  is  it  not  evident  that  the  truths  ex- 
hibited in  this  passage,  are  among  the  deepest  of  "  th(^  deep 
things  of  God  ;"  spiritu'U  problems,  the  solution  of  which  wou'd 
naturally  engage  the  primitive  church  a  long  time?  It  is  cer- 
tainly supposable — indeed,  Paul's  language  plainly  implies — that 
believers  might  have  been  baptized  into  Christ,  long  before  they 
were  aware  tliat  their  bapti ;m  involved  death  to  sin,  and  resur- 
rection to  holiness.  The  apostle  addresses  them,  as  persons  who 
had  taken  the  medicine  of  salvation,  but  had  not  digested  it  and 
realized  its  legitimate  operation.  Though  they  were  baptized 
into  Christ,  they  had  not  reached  that  radical  spiritual  identity 
with  him,  by  which  the  body  of  sin  is  destroyed.  The  Holy  Spirit 
was  ujxm  them,  but  had  not  yet  pervaded  them.  Accordingly 
Paul,  as  a  servant  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  held  up  before  them  the 
things  of  Christ,  viz.:  his  death,  and  resurrection,  exhorting  them 
to  7^eckon  themselves  identified  with  him,  that  so  they  might  real- 
ize his  victory  over  sin. 

Interesting  as  the  inquiry  is.  we  cannot,  perhaps,  determine  al 
present,  exactly  at  what  period  in  the  history  of  the  primitive 


16  Holiness  in  the  Primillve  Church. 

church,  these  deep  salviition-truths  were  manifested  to  the  saints. 
But  we  may  safely  assume  that  it  was  long  after  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost. All  the  evidence  there  is  in  the  case,  goes  to  show  that 
Paul  fii'st  apprehended  and  preached  salvation  from  sin,  by  spiri- 
tual identity  with  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ.  His 
writing's  alone  present  an  extended  and  systematic  exposition  of 
that  salvation.  If  it  was  given  to  him,  first  to  know  and  preach 
the  "  mystery  of  godliness  " — Christ  in  the  saints,  crucified  and 
risen  again — then  we  must  reckon  the  beginning  of  salvation  from 
sin  from  his  ministry  ;  and  he  was  not  called  to  faith  and  apostle- 
ship  till  months,  and  probably  years  after  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

However  this  may  be,  it  is  sufficient  for  our  purpose  to  assume 
(what  we  believe  the  evidence  and  reasoning  before  us  authorize 
us  to  assume,)  that  the  development  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel 
in  the  primitive  church  after  the  day  of  Pentecost,  was  progres- 
sive ;  that  it  began  with  external  rudiments,  and,  proceeding 
inward,  reached  the  deep  spiritual  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  which  contain  the  power  of  salvation,  only  at  an  advanced 
period  of  the  apostolic  age.  With  these  principles  in  view,  it  is 
obvious  that  the  only  fair  way  of  judging  the  power  of  the  gos- 
pel, is  to  look  for  test-examples  to  a  period  later  than  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  and  to  that  class  in  the  primitive  church  who  had 
received  the  truth  of  Christ  in  the  maturity  of  its  development. 

V.    HOLINESS   ACTUALLY   ATTAINED    BY    SOME    IN 
THE  APOSTOLIC  AGE. 

Admitting  as  we  freely  do,  that  in  the  early  days  of  the  apos- 
tolic age,  sin  still  had  place  in  the  church  ;  admitting  that  years 
after  the  effusion  of  the  Spirit,  "  Peter  was  to  be  blamed,"  and 
James  was  obliged  to  say,  "  In  many  things  we  offend  all  ;"  still 
we  maintain  that  the  time  came  at  last  when  they  that  continued 
in  Christ's  word  reached  the  mighty  truth  of  the  atonement,  and 
by  it  were  "  made  free" — that  Christianity,  when  its  power  was 
fully  revealed,  "  made  an  end  of  sin  and  brought  in  everlasting 
righteousness."  We  are  fully  sustained  in  this  position  by  the 
1st  Epistle  of  John.  That  epistle  was  among  the  latest  writings 
of  the  New  Testament,  and  as  such,  is  just  the  testimony  we  need 
to  determine  what  was  the  power  of  Christianity,  when  its  fruit 


TloUness  in  the  Primitive  Church.  17 

was  ripe.  Taking  tiiat  epistle  by  itself,  disencumbered  as  it  ought 
to  be  of  the  experience  of  Jewish  and  serai-Christian  saints,  it  is 
impossible  to  avoid  the  conviction,  that  the  theoretical  and  prac- 
ical  standard  of  religion  there  exhibited  was  perfect  holiness. 
John  lived  to  see  the  full  light  of  that  day  of  righteousness,  which 
began  to  dawn  when  Christ  came  into  the  world.  "  The  darkness,^' 
said  he,  "  is  p<iM,  and  the  true  light  now  nhinfthr  1  Epist.  2  :  8. 
What  were  the  discoveries  which  he  made  in  the  broad  daylight 
of  Christianity  ?  Lot  us  hear  his  own  testimony.  "This  is  the 
message  which  we  have  heard  of  him  and  declare  unto  you,  that 
God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all.  If  we  say  that  we 
have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in  darkness,  we  lie  and  do 
not  the  truth  ;  but  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light, 
we  have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin."  1  :  5-7.  "  Hereby 
do  we  know  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  commandments.  He 
that  saitli,  I  know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a 
liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him."  2  :  3,  4.  "  Now  arc  we  the 
sons  of  God  ;  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  1)0  ;  but 
we  know  that  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  hiin  ;  for  we 
shall  see  him  as  he  is.  And  every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in 
him,  pnrificth  himself]  even  as  he  is  pure.  Whosoever  committcth 
sin  transgresseth  also  the  law :  for  sin  is  the  transgression  of  the 
law.  And  ye  know  that  he  was  manifested  to  take  away  our 
sins  ;  and  in  him  is  no  sin.  Whosoever  ahideth  in  him  sinneth  not: 
whosoever  sinneth,  hath  not  seen  him,  neither  known  him.  Little 
children,  let  no  man  deceive  you  :  lie  that  doeth  righteousness,  is 
righteous^  even  as  he  is  righteous.  He  that  c  >mmittoth  sin.  is  of 
the  devil ;  for  the  devil  sinneth  from  the  beginning.  For  this 
purpose  the  Son  of  God  wa<  muiifested  that  he  might  destroy  the 
works  of  the  devil.  Wliosoi^vr  is  horn  of  God  doth  not  commit 
sin  ;  for  his  seed  remaincrli  in  him  ;  and  he  cannot  sin.  because 
he  is  born  of  God.  In  this  the  children  of  God  are  manifest,  and 
the  cliildren  of  the  devil  :  whosoever  doeth  not  riglitcousness, 
is  not  of  God.  neither  he  that  loverh  not  his  brother."  3  :  2-10. 
"  Herein  is  our  love  ma^h^  perfect,  that  we  may  have  boldness  in 
the  day  of  judgment :  because  as  lie  is,  so  are  toe  in  this  world." 
4  :  17.  "  We  know  that  whosoever  is  horn  of  God  sinneth  not ;  but 
he  that  is  begotten  of  God  keepeth  himself,  and  that  wicked  one 
o 


18  Holineas  in  the  Primitive  Church. 

touclicth  him  not."  5:18.  If  this  is  not  i'erlectionism,  we  know 
not  how,  by  any  human  language,  Perfectionism  can  be  expressed. 
We  are  aware  that  all  this  testimony — the  very  burden  of  the 
whole  epistle — is  counterbalanced  in  many  minds  by  one  little 
text  that  occurs  in  the  first  chapter,  viz.,  "  If  we  say  we  have  no 
sin,  we  deceive  ourselves^  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  1  :  8.  But  a 
candid  survey  of  the  context  cannot  but  satisfy  any  discerning 
person,  that  t>as  text  was  not  designed  to  militate  against  the 
doctrine  of  salvation  from  sin.  Let  us  look  at  what  goes  before 
it.  The  apostle,  having  entered  into  full  fellowship  with  Christ's 
victory,  in  advance  of  the  mass  of  the  church,  turns  toward  those 
who  are  following  him,  and  announces  the  consequences  of  that 
fellowship.  "  This  then  is  the  message  that  we  have  heard  of  him 
and  declare  unto  you,  that  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness 
at  all.  If  we  say  we  have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in  dark- 
ness, we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth.  If  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he 
is  in  the  light,  we  have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanselh  us  from  all  sin"  Ver.  5,  7. 
Perfect  holiness,  then,  is  the  result  of  the  fellowship  which  he 
professes  to  have  entered  into  himself,  and  which  he  proposes  to 
them.  He  next  proceeds  to  state  the  terras  of  admission  to  that 
fellowship  ;  and  first,  he  bars  out  the  self-righteous  :  "If  we  say 
we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us." 
In  other  words  ,  "  Jesus  Christ  proposes  to  cleanse  us  from  all 
sin.  Now  if  we  say  we  have  no  sin  to  be  cleansed  from— if,  hefore 
availing  ourselves  <f  his  saving  power,  we  rest  in  our  own  inno- 
cence, and  deny  our  need  of  his  salvation, — we  deceive  ourselves, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  Then  comes  the  alternative  :  "  If  we 
confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and 
to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness."  It  is  obvious  that  the  con- 
fession in  this  verse  is  antithetical  to  the  denial  in  the  verse  be- 
fore, and  that  both  are  referable  to  persons  in  the  same  stage  of 
experience.  But  the  confession  certainly  is  represented  as  pre- 
ceding that  forgiveness  which  Christ  offers  to  sinners.  Of  course 
the  denial  is  to  be  referred  to  those  who  have  not  yet  accepted 
Christ's  offer.  The  apostle  supposes  two  ways  in  which  his  mes- 
sage may  be  treated.  1.  Some  may  say  they  have  no  sin,  and 
therefore  have  no  need  of  salvation  from  sin  ;  these  he  condemns 
as  self-deceivers.     2.  Others  may  acknowledge  their  sin  and  need 


Holiness  in  the  Primitive  Church.  19 

of  salvation  ;  to  these  he  promises  pardon  and  perfect  holiness. 
The  verse  in  question  is  guarded  from  perversion  by  plain  declara- 
tions standing  immediately  before  and  after  it,  tiiat  Christ  pro- 
poses to  cleanse  those  who  receive  him,  "from  all  sin — -from  all 
unrighteousness."  Its  simple  object  manifestly  is  to  assert  the 
universal  sinfulness  of  mankind  without  Christ,  and  to  cut  off  (as 
Paul  does  in  the  first  part  of  the  epistle  to  the  Romans)  the  hopes 
of  those  who  entrench  themselves  in  their  own  righteousness.  We 
think  it  not  uncharitable  to  say  that  they  who  persist  in  constru- 
ing this  verse  as  opposed  to  the  doctrine  of  salvation  from  sin, 
and  in  regarding  it  as  sufficient  to  offset  all  the  plain  assertions, 
scattered  through  the  whole  epistle,  that  perfect  holiness  is  the 
only  standard  of  true  Christianity,  belong  to  that  class  of  persons 
who  "  strain  at  a  gnat,  and  swallow  a  camel." 

But  we  need  not  rely  exclusively  on  the  1st  epistle  of  John  for 
proof  that  the  gospel,  in  its  mature  development,  gave  full  salva- 
tion from  sin.  If  our  theory  concerning  the  progressive  nature 
of  the  spiritual  experience  of  the  primitive  church  is  correct,  we 
may  naturally  expect,  in  examining  the  records  of  that  church,  to 
find,  after  the  period  when  the  great  salvation  truths  concerning 
the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ  began  to  be  seen  and  preached, 
evidence  of  the  existence  of  two  distinct  classes  of  believers.  While 
the  mass  of  the  church,  and  especially  the  new  converts  who  were 
added  to  it  from  time  to  time,  might  yet  be  in  a  carnal  state,  not 
having  apprehended  the  truth  that  makes  free  from  sin,  there 
might  still  be  a  class  of  older  and  more  spiritual  believers,  who 
had  entered  into  full  fellowship  witli  Christ,  and  thus  had  attained 
perfect  holiness.  In  the  writings  of  Paul  we  find  proof  that  this 
was  actually  the  case.  "  We  speak  wisdom,"  says  he,  "  among 
them  that  are  perfect."  1  Cor.  2:6.  It  appears  by  what  follows 
that  he  uses  the  word  per/eel  in  this  case  to  describe  those  wlio 
had  attained  complete  spirituality,  i.  e.  had  overcome  the  flesh, 
and  were  in  full  fellowship  with  Christ.  "  The  natural  man,"  he 
says  a  few  verses  after,  "  rcceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  :  for  they  are  foolishness  to  him  :  neither  can  he  know  them, 
because  they  are  spiritually  discerned.  But  he  that  is  spiritual 
[this  is  the  class  whom  the  apostle  calls  perfect]  judgcth  all  things, 
yet  he  himself  is  judged  of  no  man.  For  who  hath  known  the 
mind  of  the  Lord,  that  he  mav  instruct  him?     Bat  we  have  the 


20  Holiness  in  the  Primitive  Church. 

mind  of  CIn'isty  Vcr.  14-16.  AVe  i)crceive  by  this  passao-e,  that 
there  was  actually  a  class  in  the  primitive  church,  and  Paul  was 
one  of  them,  who  were  above  human  judgment^  and  had  the  mind 
of  Christ.  It  is  evident  that  they  were  perfectly  holy,  and  that 
this  is  the  sense  in  which  they  were  i^erfect  and  spiritual,  from 
the  contrast  wliich  follows  :  "  And  1  brethren  could  not  speak 
unto  you  as  unto  spiritual,  but  as  unto  carnal,  even  as  unto  babes 
in  Christ.  I  have  fed  you  with  milk,  and  not  with  meat :  for 
hitherto  ye  were  not  able  to  bear  it,  neither  yet  now  arc  ye  able  ; 
for  ye  are  yet  carnal.  For  whereas  there  is  among  you  envying, 
and  strife,  and  dissensions,  are  ye  not  carnal,  and  walk  as  men?" 
Chap.  8  :  1-3.  Thus  the  perfection  of  Paul  and  of  those  aniono- 
whom  he  spoke  wisdom,  stands  opposed  to  the  im})erfection  of 
those  who  were  yet  subject  to  sinful  passions  ;  it  is  therefore  per- 
fection o)i  holiness.  The  following  are  instances  of  the  use  of  the 
words,  spiritual  and  perfect,  in  the  same  way.  "  Brethren  if  a 
nuin  be  overtaken  in  a  fault,  ye  ruhlch  are  spiritual  restore  such 
an  one  in  the  spirit  of  meekness."  Gal.  0:1.  "  Let  us  therefore, 
as  many  as  be  jyerfeci,  be  thus  minded."  Phil,  3  :  15.  However 
carnal  then  the  primitive  church  may  have  been  as  a  mass,  and 
in  its  early  days,  it  is  manifest  that  in  Paul's  time  there  was  a 
class  witliin  it  who  were  properly  denominated  jt>^r/ec,'^  It  is  also 
manifest  from  what  we  have  before  said,  tliat  this  class  became 
more  and  more  numerous  and  distinct,  a(=  the  harvest  time  of  the 
ai)Ostolic  ag'o  approached,  till  at  last,  when  John  wrote  his  epis- 
tles, Perfectionism  was  fully  developed,  and  liad  become  the  ac- 
knowledged standard  of  Christian  experience. 

Thus  we  have  shown,  first,  that  salvation  from  sin,  present  and 
future,  was  the  great  object  of  the  mission  and  sacrifice  of  Christ ; 
secondly,  that  tlie  sins  of  the  Old  Testament  saints  cannot  fairly 
be  adduced  as  evidence  against  this  doctrine,  because  they  were 
connnitted  before  Christ  came  into  the  world  ;  thirdly,  that  the 
sins  of  the  disciples  during  Christ's  personal  ministry,  cannot 
be  so  adduced,  because  they  were  committed  before  the  death 
and  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  the  efi'usion  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
fourthly,  that  the  sins  of  many  in  the  primitive  church  after  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  cannot  be  so  adduced,  because  they  were  com- 
mitted before  the  truth  concerning  Christ's  death  and  resurrection 


Paul  an  Exaniplt,  21 

was  fully  developed  and  applied  ;  and  lil'tldy.  tliat  accordiii'jf  to 
the  testimony  of  Paul  and  John,  Christianity  in  its  maturity,  did 
actually  make  some  believers  perfectly  holy  in  this  world. 

VI.  PAUL  AN   EXAMPLE    OF   SALVATION    FUOM 

ALL   SIN. 

In  support  of  the  general  argument  whicli  we  have  presented, 
we  will  now  adduce  an  individual  instance  of  perfect  holiness. 
And  our  specimen  shall  be  the  apostle  Paul.  It  has  already  been 
seen  that  he  belonged  to  the  class  of  those  who  were  called /yp/;/^d. 
By  a  more  particular  examination  of  the  testimony  concerning 
him.  we  propose  to  show  that  he  was  saved  from  sin  in  this  world. 
For  this  purpose,  we  will  in  the  first  place  notice  and  exj)lain 
several  passages  in  which  he  is  said  to  have  confessed  sin  ;  sec- 
ondly, answer  the  specific  charges  commonly  made  against  him  ; 
and  thirdly,  produce  positive  proof  that  he  was  holy,  from  his  own 
testimony. 

I.  Paul's  supposed  confessions. 

(1.)  In  the  seventh  chapter  of  Romans  the  apostle  says  :  '•  I  am 
carnal,  sold  under  sin  ;  for  what  I  would,  that  do  I  not ;  but 
what  I  hate,  that  do  I.     To  will  is  present  with  me  ;  but  how  to 

perform  that  which  is  good  I  find  not 0  wretched  r.ian 

that  I  am!  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death?" 
Rom.  7  :  14-24.  This  passage,  taken  by  itself,  would  seem  to  be 
a  very  explicit  confession  of  sin.  Indeed  it  is  a  confession  of 
unmitigated,  all-controlling  depravity.  If  it  is  to  be  admitted  as 
a  description  of  Paul's  Christian  experience,  it  evidently  proves 
th.at  he  was  far  below  even  modern  Christians  in  si)iritual  attain- 
ments, or  at  least  in  profession  ;  for  the  very  lowest  stanaards  of 
the  most  fashionable  creeds  make  some  degree  of  righteoasness  the 
test  of  Christian  character  ;  whereas,  according  to  the  above  con- 
fession. Paul  was  corapletehj  carnal,  a  prisoner  of  sin  bound  hand 
and  foot ;  utterly  unable  to  perform  any  good  thing.  He  does 
not  say  with  modern  imperfectionists,  that  he  is  occasionalh^  over- 
come by  sin,  but  that  be  is  ''-sold  under  m\"  Most  persons  ad- 
mit that  the  liard  saying  of  John  in  1  Epis.  3  :  8,  means  as  much 
as  this — that  "lie  that  committeth  sin  hahihiaUi/,  is  of  the  devil." 


22  Paul  an  Example. 

But  tluit  text,  even  thus  reduced,  gives  no  quarter  to  this  experi- 
ence of  Paul,  for  he  confesses  \\\m?,e\i  uninterruptedly  sinful.  Be- 
fore consenting  to  the  intolerable  conclusion  that  Paul  was  "  a 
child  of  the  devil,"  the  reader  we  think  will  be  willing  to  examine 
critically  the  context  and  scope  of  Rom.  7  :  14-24.  For  this  pur- 
pose, we  offer  him,  in  tlie  following  exposition,  such  help  as  can 
be  given  in  a  condensed  form  ;  but  it  will  be  effectual  only  as  he 
faithfully  follows  every  step  of  it  with  careful  thought,  and  studies 
the  whole  subject  for  himself. 

Tlie  previous  doctrine  of  the  epistle  concerning  the  laiv,  is  set 
forth  in  the  following  passages  :  "  By  the  deeds  of  the  law,  shall 
no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight ;  for  hy  the  latv  is  the  knowledge  of 
5m."  Chap.  3  :  20.  "  If  they  which  are  of  the  law  be  heirs,  faith 
is  made  void,  and  the  promise  made  of  none  effect ;  because  the 
law  ivorketh  wrath."  4  :  14,  15.  "  The  law  entered  that  the  offense 
might  abound."  5  :  20.  In  accordance  with  these  views  of  the 
effect  and  design  of  the  law,  in  the  sixth  chapter  the  apostle  closes 
his  exposition  of  salvation  from  sin  by  the  gospel,  with  the  follow- 
ing declaration  :  ''  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you  ;  for  ye 
[i,  e.  as  many  as  were  baptized  into  Christ,  see  ver.  3]  are  not  un- 
di'r  the  law,  but  under  grace;"  (6  :  14  ;)  as  though,  if  they  were 
under  law  there  would  be  no  hope  of  deliverance  from  sin.  These 
are  the  views  which  are  discussed  and  fully  explained  in  the  sev- 
enth and  a  part  of  the  eighth  chapter.  The  substance  of  the  first 
six  verses  of  the  seventh  chapter  may  be  stated  thus  :  "  The  law 
is  our  husband  while  we  are  in  the  flesh,  and  the  only  offspring 
of  this  first  marriage  is  sin.  Christ  is  our  husband,  when  we  are 
baptized  into  him,  and  the  offspring  of  this  second  marriage  is 
righteousness.  We  cannot  have  both  liusbands  at  once.  Death 
to  the  law  must  precede  marriage  with  Christ.  Accordingly,  we 
that  believe,  are  dead  to  the  law,  by  baptism  into  the  death 
of  Christ."  In  the  7th  verse  the  apostle  commences  a  vindica" 
tion  of  the  law.  In  view  of  the  foregoing  doctrine,  that  sin  is 
the  fruit  of  marriage  with  tiie  law,  some  might  say  that  the  law 
itself  is  sin.  But  Paul  insists  that  the  evil  nature  of  the  offspring 
in  this  case  is  not  to  be  attributed  to  the  husband,  but  to  the  wife. 
The  law  is  holy,  just  and  good,  but  the  subjects  of  it  being  filled 
with  the  spirit  of  sin,  only  make  tlie  law  an  occasion  of  aggravated 
iniquity.  Ver.  13.    Here  commences  the  disputed  paragraph,  vers. 


Paul  an  Example.  23 

14-25  :  ''For  we  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual;  lutlam  car?ial,  sold 

under  sin The  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not ;  but  the  evil 

which  I  would  not,  that  I  do,"  &c.  It  is  plain  that  the  apostle  is  here 
giving  the  reason  for  the  fact  that  the  law  produces  sin.  That 
reason  is  the  opposition  which  exists  between  a  carnal  nature  and 
the  law.  A  marriage  between  them  brings  forth  sin  and  death, 
because  tlie  parties  are  "  unequally  yoked."  "  The  law  is  spiritual, 
but  I  am  carnal  /  of  course  the  fruit  of  a  union  between  me  and 
the  law  must  be  strife  and  irritation,  resulting  in  aggravated  sin 
and  ultimate  despair  on  my  part,  though  the  law  is  holy,  just  and 
good."  Paul's  supposed  confession,  then,  is  actually  a  description 
of  the  misery  of  a  soul  married  to  the  law.  Now  we  know  that  a 
person  in  that  state  is  not  a  Christian  ;  for,  to  be  married  to  the 
law  and  to  Christ  at  the  same  time,  would  be  that  very  spiritual 
polygamy  which  in  the  first  verses  of  the  chapter  is  expressly  con- 
demned. Moreover  in  the  4th,  5th  and  6th  verses,  the  apostie 
plainly  and  repeatedly  speaks  of  his  own  state,  and  that  of  those 
whom  he  addressed,  as  opposite  to  the  law  state  wliich  he  after- 
wal-ds  describes.  "'  ye  art;  be-^ome  dead  to  the  law  by  the  body  of 
Christ.  When  we  were  [past  tense]  in  the  flesh,  the  motions  of 
sins,  which  ivere  by  the  law,  [/.  e.  those  very  motions  whicli  are 
described  in  verses  14-25,]  did  work  in  our  members  to  bring 
forth  fruit  unto  death.  But  now  we  are  delivered  from  the  law"  &c. 
Paul,  then,  was  not,  at  the  time  he  wrote  the  epistle,  under  the 
law,  and  therefore  did  not  describe  his  experience  as  a  Christian, 
in  tlie  paragraph  in  question.  He  uses  the  present  tense  in  that 
paragraph,  because  he  is  not  relating  historical  facts,  but  is  illus- 
trating a  perpetual  principle,  without  reference  to  time.  The  jire- 
sent  tense  and  first  person  are  freciuently  used  in  such  illustra- 
tions, because  they  are  convenient  and  forcible.  The  actual  ex- 
perience of  Paul  as  a  Christian,  is  fully  exhibited  in  the  eiglitli 
cha])ter,  which  begins  thus — "  There  is  therefore  now  no  condem- 
nation to  them  whicli  are  in  Christ  Je.m-'<.^'  Tlie  intelligent  reader 
will  perceive,  by  examining  tliis  chapter  and  comparimz-  it  with 
the  seventh,  that  the  peace  of  the  second  marriage  is  the  exact  re- 
verse of  the  misery  of  the  first. 

(2.)  The  following  passage  is  often  quoted  as  an  instance  in 
which  Paul  confessed  sin  :  "  N^ot  as  (hough  I  had  al/-ead(/  tittained, 
eithc)  were  already/  perfect :  but  I  follow  after,  if  that  I  may  ap- 


24  Paul  cm  Examjple. 

prebend  that  for  which  also  I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus. 
Brethren,  I  count  not  ynyself  to  have  apprehended"  &c.  Phil.  3  : 
12,  18.  But  we  shall  sec  by  consulting  the  context,  that  Paul  is 
wholly  misunderstood  by  those  who  take  the  ))assage  by  itself 
and  construe  it  as  an  acknowledgment  of  moral  imperfection.  In 
the  preceding  verses  Paul  says,  "  I  count  all  things  but  loss  .  .  . 
that  I  may  know  him  and  the  power  of  his  resurrect{o7i,  and  the 
felloicship  of  his  sujferin (/■'<,  being  made  conformahle  to  his  death; 
if  by  any  means  I  might  attain  unto  the  reswrection  of  the  dead: 
[here  begins  the  supposed  confession :  ]  not  as  though  I  had 
already  attained,  either  were  already  perfect."  It  is  obvious  that 
"  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,"  not  perfect  holiness,  is  to  be  under- 
stood as  the  object  of  the  verb  "  attained"  in  this  sentence  ;  so 
that  the  first  clause  certainly  is  not  a  confession  of  sin,  but  simply 
of  a  state  of  mortality.  But  in  what  sense  does  Paul  say,  "  Not 
as  though  I  were  already  perfect  V  We  must  find  an  answer  by 
looking  back  and  noticing  what  he  was  striving  to  attain.  He 
counted  all  things  but  loss,  tliat  he  "  might  know  the  power  of 
Christ's  resurrection,  and  the  fellowship  of  liis  snffrrincis^  being 
made  conlbrmable  to  his  death."  He  was  not  i»erfect  then  in  this 
"sense,  namely,  he  had  not  yet  entered  into  full  fellowship  with 
Christ's  death  and  resurrection.  Does  this  imply  that  he  was  a 
sinner?  If  so,  it  implies  also  that  Christ  himself  was  a  thinner, 
before  he  died  and  entered  into  immortality.  The  word  p^rfert 
is  used  in  three  instances  with  reference  to  Christ,  evidently  in 
the  very  sense  in  which  it  is  used  in  this  confession.  "  Go,  tell 
that  fox,"  said  Jesus,  "  Behold,  I  do  cures  to-day  and  to-morrow, 
and  the  third  day  I  shall  be  perfected  .•"  [/.  e.  by  the  death  of  the 
cross.]  Luke  13  :  32.  "  It  became  him  by  whom  are  all  things, 
and  lor  whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  unto  glory, 
to  make  the  captain  of  their  salvation  perfect  through  sufferings." 
Heb.  2  :  10.  "Though  he  were  a  son,  yet  learned  he  obedience 
by  the  things  which  he  suffered  ;  and  being  made  perfect,  he  be- 
came the  author  of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him." 
Heb.  5  :  8,  9.  Now  no  one  supposes  that  Christ  was  less  rhan 
perfectly  holy,  while  he  was  in  the  flesh.  Yet  these  passages 
plainly  teach  that  he  was  in  some  sense  "  made  perfect"  by  suffer- 
ing, and  consequently  that  in  some  sense  he  was  not  perfect  till 
his  death.      Previous  to  that  event  then,  he  might  have  said,  as 


Paul  an  Example.  25 

well  as  Paul,  "  Not  as  though  I  had  already  attained,  either  were 
already  perfect."  And  on  the  other  hand  Paul,  as  well  as 
Christ,  notwithstanding  this  confession,  could  claim  to  be  in 
another  sense  perfect  ;  as  in  feet  he  does  a  few  verses  after,  where 
he  says,  "  Let  us,  as  many  as  hajjerfeat,  be  thus  minded." 

The  truth  is,  Paul  knew  he  was  "apprehended  of  Christ"  for 
all  that  Christ  had  himself  attained,  viz.,  the  resurrection  of  soul 
and  body  ;  and  though  he  was  already  saved  from  sin,  he  did  not 
count  himself  perfect  by  full  fellowship  with  those  sufferings 
which  made  Christ  perfect,  but  acknowledged  in  opposition  to 
those  "  who  said  the  resurrection  was  past  already,"  (2  Tim.  2  : 
18,)  that  he  was  yet  "following  after,"  looking,  as  he  says  a  few 
verses  below  the  passage  in  question,  "  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  shall  CHANGE  our  vile  body."  The  imperfection  which  he 
acknowledges,  so  far  as  it  related  to  spiritual  character,  was  a 
dchciency,  not  of  holiness,  but  of  exjierience.  A  man  cannot 
learn  patience  without  suffering.  Previous  to  the  requisite  suffer- 
ing, imperfection  in  t'ais  respect  is  not  voluntary  but  necessary. 
It  is  therefore  not  a  moral,  but  a  natural  deficiency,  and  may  be 
predicated  of  one  who  is  perfectly  holy,  as  we  have  seen  it  was 
predicated  of  Christ. 

(8.)  We  are  sometimes  referred  to  1  Cor.  9  :  27,  as  evidence 
that  Paul  acknowledged  imperfection.  The  passage  with  its  con- 
text stands  thus  :  "  I  therefore  so  run,  not  as  uncertainly  ;  so 
fight  I,  not  as  one  that  beatcth  the  air  :  but  1  keep  under  my 
body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection  ;  leal  thai  by  any  nuan.s,  when 
I  have  ^readied  to  dthem^  I  myxelf  shonld  he  a  castaway.''^  It  is 
diflieult  to  see  how  this  can  bo  torturcl  into  any  tliin'^-  like  a  con- 
fession of  sin.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  actually  an  assertion  of 
faithfulness,  lu  order  that  the  passage  may  accord  with  the 
conuuon  views  of  the  seventh  chapter  of  Romans,  and  with  the 
experience  of  impcrfectionists,  it  must  be  reversed  thus  :  "I  run 
iinct'i'tahily,  I  hglit  a--i  ojw  that  tiaakth  the  air,  and  I  do  not  keep 
my  body  under,  but  am  fre(|uently  brought  into  subjection  to  it." 
The  most  that  can  fairly  be  said  of  it  is,  that  it  indicates  the  ex- 
istence of  some  fear  in  the  apostle's  mind  that  he  might  be  a 
"castaway."  But  even  this  is  \)\  no  means  a  necessary  construc- 
tion. A  soldier  in  a  besieged  fortress  might  say,  "  I  keep  within 
the  walls,  lest  I  should  be  slain  by  the  enemy's  artillery,"  with- 


20  Paul  (ui  Example. 

out  cxpro>sinir  finy  fear  or  suggestinir  any  probability  that  he 
would  actually  be  slain. 

(4.)  Paul's  account  oC  the  "  thorn  in  his  flesh,"  -which  the  Lord 
gave  him,  "  lest  he  s'lould  be  exalted  above  measure,"  (2  Cor. 
12  :  7.)  is  often  cited  as  a  confession  of  imperfection.  It  is  indeed 
an  acknowledgment  of  weakness,  and  of  a  certain  liability  to  sin  ; 
which  liability  however  was  provided  for  and  extinguished  by  the 
means  which  God  employed  in  the  case.  Paul  does  not  say 
that  he  was  exalted  above  measure,  but  on  the  contrary,  that 
God  took  measures  to  keep  him  from  being  so.  Doubtless  those 
measures  were  successful.  The  thorn  in  the  flesh  certainly  was 
not  in  itself  something  sinful  in  him.  It  was  "  a  messenger  of 
Satan"  sent,  not  to  lead  him  into  sin,  but  to  ''  hiffef  (?'.  e.  to 
afflict)  him.  He  besought  the  Lord  that  it  might  depart  from 
him,  and  the  answer  was,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  :  for 
my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness."  The  thorn  then  was 
the  harbinger,  not  of  sin,  but  of  sufficiency  and  perfection.  So 
thought  Paul.  ■'  Most  gladly  therefore,"  says  he,  "  will  I  rather 
glory  in  my  inflrmities,  [certainly  not  in  sin,]  that  the  power  of 
Christ  may  rest  upon  me." 

(5.)  The  following  passage  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  a  con- 
fession of  present  sinfulness  :  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world 
to  save  sinners,  of  whom  l am  chief y  1  Tim.  1  :  15.  The  con- 
text plainly  shows  that  the  apostle  here  refers,  not  to  his  cliaracter 
after  he  became  a  Christian,  but  to  his  wickedness  in  persecuting 
the  church.  See  ver.  13.  "  Howbeit,"  he  continues,  "  for  this 
cause  I  obtained  [past  tense]  mercy,  that  in  me  first  Jesus  Christ 
might  show  forth  all  long-sufi'ering,''"&c.  His  pre-eminent  ofi'ense 
in  "  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter"  against  the  church, 
rendered  him  fit  to  be  an  example  of  the  greatness  of  God's 
merv?y.  In  respect  to  his  state  as  a  Christian,  he  says  just 
before,  that  Christ  counted  him  ".faithful  ;"  which  is  altogether 
inconsistent  witli  the  idea  tliat  he  was  at  the  same  time  the  chief 
of  sinners. 

Thus  we  have  noticed  all  the  passages  in  Paul's  writings 
which  are  commonly  adduced  to  jn-ove  him  a  sinner  by  his  own 
direct  testimony,  and  we  have  found  in  every  one  of  them  proof 
to  the  contrarv. 


Paul  an  Example.  27 

As  a  sequel  to  this  branch  of  evidence,  let  the  reader  take  a 
survey  of  all  the />m//fiy,s' whicli  Paul  represents  himself  as  offer- 
ing. In  almost  every  epistle  he  gives  samples  of  his  petitions  ; 
and  if  he  had  been  habitually  as  abundant  in  confessions  of  sin 
as  modern  imperfectionists,  he  would  cei'tainly  have  left  some 
specimens  on  record.  We  venture  to  predict,  however,  that 
nothino;  of  the  kind  will  be  found. 


TI.    SPECIFIC  CHARGES  AGAINST  PAUL. 

(1.)  His  conteyit'wn  with  Barnahas.  The  account  of  this  affair 
is  as  follows  : — "  Some  days  after,  Paul  said  unto  Barnabas,  Let 
us  go  again  and  visit  our  brethren  in  every  city  where  we  have 
preached  the  word  of  God,  and  see  how  they  do.  And  Barnabas 
determined  to  take  with  them  John,  whose  surname  was  Mark. 
But  Paul  thouglit  it  not  good  to  take  him  with  them,  who  de- 
parted from  them  from  Pamphylia,  and  went  not  with  them  to  the 
work.  And  the  contention  was  so  sharp  between  them,  that  they 
departed  asunder  one  from  the  other  :  and  so  Barnabas  took 
Mark,  and  sailed  unto  Cyprus.  And  Paul  chose  Silas,  and 
departed,  being  recommended  by  tlie  brethren  unto  the  grace  of 
God."  Acts  15:  36-40.  We  observe  upon  this,  in  the  first 
place,  tliat  there  is  no  certain  evidence  that  either  Paul  or  Barna- 
bas sinned.  A  mere  difference  of  judu'ment,  wisely  permitted  for 
the  purpose  of  separating  them,  may  have  been  perfectly  consis- 
tent with  uniti/  of  Jieart.  "  The  contention  was  so  sharp  between 
them  [not  that  they  abused  each  other  with  words  or  blows,  but] 
that  they  departed  asunder  one  from  the  otlier.''  and  probably  by 
mutual  consent,  in  peace.  But  we  observe  furtlier.  that  so  far  as 
there  is  any  probable  proof  that  either  sinned,  it  goes  to  impeach 
the  character  of  Barnabas  only.  John,  about  whom  the  con- 
tention arose,  was  Barnabas'  nejihew.  (see  Col.  4  :  Ki.i  who 
doubtless  was  influenced  by  partiality  for  him,  as  Ids  kinsman, 
and  "  determined  to  take  him  with  them,"  without  fii-st  consulting 
Paul,  or  heeding  iiis  counsel  afterwards.  No  reason  is  ti-iven  for 
Barnabas'  determination  ;  whereas  Paul  ''  thought  it  not  good" 
to  take  So\m,lecause  he  had  once  deserted  them.  It  is  plain  that 
Paul  acted  conscientiously  in  the  matter.  Nothing  but  jirejudice 
or  carelessness  can  discover  tlie  least  evidence  in  these  circum- 


28  Paul  an  Example. 

stances,  that  he  departed  from  iutegrity  ;  while  candor  finds  fresh 
proof  of  his  wisdom  and  firmness. 

(2.)  His  anaiheuKi  upon  the  high  priest.  "  Paul,  earnestly  be- 
holding the  council,  said,  Men  and  bretliren,  I  have  lived  iii  all 
good  conscience  before  God  until  this  day.  And  the  high  priest 
Ananias  commanded  thera  that  t-tood  by  him  to  smite  him  on  the 
mouth.  Then  said  Paul  unto  him,  God  shall  smite  thee,  thou 
whited  wall  ;  for  sittest  thou  to  judge  me  after  the  law,  and  com- 
mandest  me  to  be  smitten  contrary  to  the  law  ?  And  they  thai 
stood  by  said,  Revilest  thou  God's  high  priest  ?  Then  said  Paul, 
I  wist  not,  lirethrcn,  that  he  was  the  high  priest  :  for  it  is  written, 
thou  shalt  not  speak  evil  of  the  ruler  of  thy  people."  Acts 
23  :  1-5.  There  was  manifestly  no  sin  in  the  mistake  which 
Paul  made  respecting  tiic  official  character  of  his  abuser.  He 
acknowledged  no  ■■<in,  though  he  showed  a  perfect  and  manly 
readiness  to  acknowledge  a  mistake,  as  well  as  a  conscientious 
self-possession,  iu  quoting  scripture  for  the  acknowledgment. 
The  chief  question  is,  have  we  evidence  that  he  was  sinful/;/ 
angry  in  this  affair  ?  Admitting  tliat  his  words  bespeak  anger, 
we  assert  that  he  was  not  "  angry  ivithout  a  eause.'^  The  un- 
righteous conduct  of  the  high  priest  called  for  righteous  indig- 
nation. Anger  is  not  in  every  case  sinful.  See  Mark  3  :  5, 
Eph.  4  :  26.  Paul's  accusers  must  therefore  show  that  he  was 
unreasonably  angry.  This  cannot  be  shown  from  his  language 
in  the  case.  He  neither  smote  the  high  priest,  nor  threatened  to 
smite  him.  "  Qod  shall  smite  thee,  thou  whited  wall."  Is  this  an 
expression  of  a  revengeful  spirit  ?  It  is  only  a  calm  and  true  pre- 
diction of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God.  He  used  the  language 
of  Christ  iu  the  severe  appellation  which  he  gave  the  high  priest. 
See  Matt.  23  :  27.  He  did  not  avenge  himself,  but  recogni/.cd 
the  truth,  that  vengeance  is  the  Lord's. 

We  may  remark  in  general  upon  these  charges,  and  upon  all  oth- 
ers of  the  kind,  (if  others  have  been  made,)  that  they  are  mere 
private  judgments,  unsupjiorted  by  Paul's  confession,  (who  must 
be  supposed  to  have  known  his  own  character  better  than  his  ac- 
cusers, and  to  have  been  ingenuous  enough  to  confess  sin,  if  he 
had  committed  it,)  and  unsupported  by  the  verdict  of  the  inspired 
writers  who  have  recorded  the  acts  for  which  he  is  condemned. 
Moreover,  this  method  of  trying  character  by  private  judgment 


Paul  an  Example.  29 

of  external  actions,  willioiit  lioaiinu-  tlie  defense  of  the  accused, 
might  as  fairly  be  used  lo  prove  sin  ui)on  Christ  as  ni)on  Paul. 
The  external  form  of  Christ's  actions  was,  in  many  cases,  far 
from  being  lovely — at  least  to  the  carnal  apprehensions  of  the 
Pharisees.  Our  belief  tliat  he  was  perfectly  holy,  certainly  is 
not  founded  on  our  perception  of  the  righteousness  of  ev(>ry  par- 
ticular transaction  of  his  life.  We  never  feel  that  tliere  is 
any  occasion  for  us  to  inquire  whether  lie  did  riulit  or  wi-ong  in 
this  or  that  particular  action — whether  every  movement  of  his 
body  and  mind  through  all  his  life,  was  measured  and  determined 
by  the  rule  and  )>lummet  of  theoretical  morality — whether  he 
preached  and  labored  for  sinners  just  exactly  as  nnich  as  he  was 
able,  and  never  slcjit  the  fraction  of  a  second  too  nuich  or  too  lit- 
tle. If  it  were  necessary  to  go  through  such  a  process  of  scru- 
tiny before  we  could  lawfully  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  was  per- 
fectly holy,  we  might  well  despair  of  over  proving  that  he  was  the 
Son  of  God.  But  all  such  questioning  is  utterly  foreclosed,  as  every 
man's  consciousness  must  testify,  by  the  simple  fact  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  proved  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  by  his  Father's  power. 
We  reverse  the  process.  Instead  of  arguing  that  he  was  the  Son 
of  God  because  his  external  actions  were  perfectly  holy,  we  ar- 
gue that  his  external  actions  were  perfectly  holy  because  he  was 
manifestly  the  Son  of  God,  in  full  fellowship  with  his  Father. 
Now  we  insist  that  Paul's  character  ought  to  be  tried  by  a  similar 
process.  If  it  can  be  shown  that  he  was  in  spiritual  union  with 
Christ,  it  ought  to  ha  presumed,  unless  full  pmof  to  tlie  contrary 
is  produced,  that  all  his  external  actions  were  righteous,  and  the 
"  evil  surmises  "  of  irresjjonsible  accusers  ought  to  be  given  to  the 

winds. 

III.  Paul's  views  of  his  own  character. 

(1.)  He  asserts  his  identlUj  with  Christ,  in  such  passages  as  the 
following  :  "  It  pleased  God  ...  to  reveal  his  Son  in  me."  Gal. 
1  :  15,  16.  "  I  am  crucified  with  Christ ;  nevertheless  Hive  ;  yet 
not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  Gal.  2  :  20.  "  For  me  to  live  is 
Christ."  Phil.  1  :  21.  "  We  are  members  of  his  hody.qf  his  fl^sh 
and  nf  Mx  hones."  Epli.  5  :  30.  "We  have  the  mind  of  Christ."  1 
Cor.  2  :  16.  In  accordance  with  this  testimony,  he  says  that  the 
Galatians  received  him  "as  an  angel  of  (^od.  ^^ven  as  Christ 
Jesus;"    (Gal.  4  :   14;  i    and  instead  of   rebukiuL^  tliem  for  man- 


30  Paul  an  Example. 

worship,  he  rather  censures  them  for  not  continuing  thus  to  honor 
him. 

(2.)  He  plainly  asserts  his Jreedom  from  sin,  as  the  consequence 
of  his  union  with  Christ,  in  the  following  passages  :  "  How  shall 
we  Ihat  are  dead  to  sin,  [i.  e.  by  baptism  into  Christ's  death,)  live 
any  longer  therein  ?"  Rom.  6:2."  The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life 
hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  deaths  Rom.  8  :  2. 
"  Ye  are  witnesses,  and  God  also,  how  holily  and.  justly  and  un- 
hlamahly  we  behaved  ourselves  among  you  that  believe."  1  Thess. 
2  :  10.  '■'(jriviwj  no  offense  in  any  thing,  that  the  ministry  be  not 
blamed  :  but  in  all  things  approving  ourselves  as  the  ministers  of 
God,  in  much  patience,  in  afflictions,  in  necessities,  in  distresses,  in 
stripes,  in  imprisonments,  in  tumults,  in  watchings,  in  fastings  ; 
by  pureness,  by  knowledge,  by  long-suflfering,  by  kindness,  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  by  love  unfeigned,  by  the  word  of  truth,  by  the  power 
of  God,  hy  the  armor  of  righteousness  on  the  right  hand  aiid  on 
the  leftP  2  Cor.  6  :  3-7.  "  Our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  testimony 
of  our  conscience  that  i)h  simplioity  and  godly  sincerity,  not  with 
fleMy  wisdom,  bat  hy  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  had  our  conversa- 
titm  in  the  ivorld."  2  Cor.  1  :  12. 

(3.)  His  writings,  instead  of  being  filled  with  confessions  of  sin 
and  unfaithfulness,  every  where  abound  with  vindications  of 
his  own  conduct,  hold  assertions  of  his  righteousness,  and  appeals 
from,  human  accusation  to  the  judgment  of  God,  The  following 
may  serve  as  examples  :  "  We  have  wronged  no  man,  we  have  de- 
frauded no  man."  2  Cor.  7:2."  Ithink  to  he  bold  against  some 
which  think  of  us  as  though  we  walked,  according  to  the  flesh  •  for 
though  we  walk  in  the  flesh,  we  do  not  war  after  the  flesh."  2 
Cor.  10  :  2,  3.  "  Our  exhortation  was  not  of  deceit,  nor  of  un- 
cleanness,  nor  of  guile :  .  .  .  neither  at  any  time  used  we  flatter- 
ing words,  as  ye  know,  nor  a  cloak  of  covetousness  ;  God  is  wit- 
ness :  nor  of  men  sought  we  glory,  nor  of  you."  1  Thess.  2  :  3- 
6.  "  Ye  know  from  the  first  day  that  I  came  into  Asia,  alter 
what  manner  I  have  been  with  you  at  all  seasons,  serving  the 

Lord  with  all  humility  of  mind I  take  you  to  record  this 

day  that  I  am  pure  from  the  blood  of  all  men."    Acts  20  :  18-26. 
"  It  is  a  very  small  thing  that  T  should  be  judged  of  you,  or  of 

man's  judgment He  that  judgeth  me  is  the  Lord."  1  Cor. 

4 :  3-5. 


Miscellaneous  Objections.  31 

(4.)  He  constantly  propoc-cs  his  own  life  as  a  perfect  example 
Cor  imitation.  "  I  beseech  you,"  says  he,  "  Be  ye  followers  of  me. 
For  this  cause  have  I  sent  unto  you  Timothy,  .  .  .  who  shall 
bring  you  into  remembrance  of  my  ways  whicli  hv  in  Christ."  I 
Cor.  4:  16.     '■'■  Be  ye  followers  of  me  as  I  also   am    of   Christ." 

1  Cor.  11:  1.  "Brethren,  he  followers  together  of  me^  and 
mark  them  that  walk  so,  as  ye  have  us  for  an  ensample."  Phil, 
8:  17.  "Those  things  which  ye  both  have  learned  and  re- 
ceived, and  heard  and  seen  n?  y/?^,  do  ;  and  the  Cod  of  peace 
shall  be  with  you."  i'liil.  4  :  0.  Let  tiic  reader  imagine  for  a 
moment,  how  these  exhortations  would  >ound  in  the  mouth  of  one 
who  was  in  the  condition  described  in  the  seventh  of  Romans. 
Tlie  last  of  them  would  amount  to  this  : — "  Ye  have  learned  and 
received  (viz.  in  Rom.  7  :  7 — 25)  that  I  am  carnal,  sold  under 
sin,  doing  the  evil  that  1  condemn,  tind  unable  to  do  the  good 
which  my  conscience  enjoins.  Follow  me  in  these  things  ;  live  in 
slavery  to  sin  as  I  do,  and  the  God  of  peace   shall  be  with  you!" 

The  testimony  now  before  the  reader,  both  negative  and  posi- 
tive, should  be  weighed  in  connection  with  the  fact  that  Paul  un- 
reservedly preaclied  perfection  to  the  churches  ;  (for  examples  see 

2  Cor.  13  :  9-11,  1  Tliess.  5  :  23,  24  :)  and  that  he  made  it  the 
main  object  of  one  of  his  most  important  epistles,  viz.  that  to  the 
Hebrews,  to  exhibit  Christianity  as  a  dispensation  of  perfect  holi- 
ness. (See  Heb.  5  :  1  ;  6  :  11-19  ;  10  :  14-19,  &c.) 

In  view  of  all  this  we  must  conclude,  eithei-  that  Paul  was  filled 
with  self-deception,  impenitence  and  pride,  and  that  his  life  was 
altogether  at  variance  with  the  theory  whicli  he  preached,  or  that 
he  was  a  genuine  example  of  salvation  from  sin. 

Vn.    MISCELLANEOUS     OBJECTIONS    TO   THE   DOC- 
TRINE OF  SALVATION  FROM  SIN. 

Objection  1.  "  If  perfect  holiness  is  attained,  there  is  no  fur- 
ther occasion  for  repe)dancer  Answer.  Repentance  is  genuine 
only  wlien  it  results  in  the  f>rsaTcin(j  of  sin.  That  periodical  re- 
pentance, which  implies  continuance  in  the  sin3  repented  of,  is 
most  horrible  hypocrisy.  The  doctrine  of  jjerfect  iioliness  doc3 
indeed  discard  this  kind  of  repentance.  But  it  preaches  to  all 
vsinners — and  tliat  too  witli  a  sinccritv  and  vehemence  which  be- 


32  Mhsvella neons  Objections. 

long"  to  no  other  doctrine — that  scriptural  repentance,  which 
\\QG\\<A '■'' not  to  he  repented  ojT  2  Cor.  7  :  10.  There  are  things 
which,  tlioiigh  it  is  very  necessaiy  that  they  should  be  done  once^ 
ought  not  to  be  done  the  second  time.  For  instance,  it  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  that  the  farmer  should  plow  his  field  in  the 
spring.  But  he  would  bo  a  very  foolish  man,  who  should  continue 
plowing  the  same  tield  all  summer.  So,  thorough  rei)entaiice  is 
essential  in  the  seed-time  of  grace,  but  works  of  righteousness 
must  follow,  or  the  harvest  of  judgment  will  bring  no  reward. — 
They  who  repent  all  their  days,  because  repentance  is  good  in  its 
season,  will  be  obliged  to  say  at  last,  "  The  harvest  is  past,  the 
summer  is  ended,  and  we  are  not  saved."  Paul  was  a  faithful 
preacher  of  repentance  ;  yet  he  said  to  his  converts,  "  Leaving 
the  first  principles  of  the  doctrines  of  Christ,  let  us  go  on  to  per- 
fection, not  laying  again  the  foundation  of  repentance  from  dead 
ivories;'  (fee.  Heb.  6  :  1,2. 

Obj.  2.  "  Perfect  holiness  is  inconsistent  with  growth  in  graced 
Answer.  This  objection  is  predicated  on  a  false  notion  of  the  na- 
ture of  the  ])crfection  which  we  advocate.  It  sup])oses  that  one  who 
is  perfectly  holy,  is  necesssarily  free  from  all  infii'mity,  and  has  re- 
ceived all  the  strength  and  knowledge  that  God  can  impart. 
Whereas  the  reader  will  j)erceive,  by  recurring  to  the  second  and 
fourth  sections  under  the  head,  "  I^auVs  supposed  confessions^'  that 
one  may  be  perfect  in  holiness,  and  yet  imperfect  in  experience,  and 
subject  to  injirniity.  We  mean  by  perfect  holiness,  (using  the  ex- 
pression in  its  lowest  sense.)  simply  that  purity  of  heart  which 
gives  a  good  conscience.  This  primary  state  is  attainable  by  mere 
faith  in  the  resurrection  of  Christ.  It  is  in  fact  the  coramur.ica- 
tion  of  the  purity  and  good  conscience  of  Christ.  It  may  there- 
fore be  received  instantaneously,  and  it  may  exist  in  us  antecedently 
to  all  external  improvement  or  good  works.  There  is  no  difiiculty 
in  conceiving  that  a  man  may  have  a  clean  Heart  and  a  good  con- 
science, and  yet  be  very  imperfect  in  regard  to  his  understanding 
and  corporeal  faculties  and  affections.  Suppose  a  missionary,  in 
urging  upon  a  savage  a  change  of  life,  proi)Oses  to  take  him  under 
his  own  care  and  thoroughly  instruct  him  in  all  the  ways  of  civil- 
ization. When  the  savage  embraces  the  proposal,  and  })uts  him- 
self into  the  hands  of  the  missionary,  he  has  done  all  that  is  novj 
required  of  him,  and  may  rightfully  have  a  good  conscience.    He 


Miscellaneous  OhjecUons.  33 

is  a  savage  still,  in  every  thing  except  his  heart  ;  but  he  is  not  to 
be  blamed.  The  missionary  does  not  condenni  him  for  his  uncouth 
manners,  and  his  obtuseness  of  intellect.  He  may  now  enter  upon 
the  course  of  discipline  necessary  to  make  liim  in  all  respects  a 
civilized  man.  with  <i  ^df-approviwj  heart.  By  this  illustration  it 
may  be  seen  how  a  believer  may  be  free  from  sin  and  condemna- 
tion before  God,  and  yet  be  but  at  the  entrance  of  the  discipline 
necessary  to  complete  sanctification.  The  difference  betwx'cn  the 
two  cases  is  altogether  in  favor  of  the  believer  ;  for  whereas  the 
missionary  can  only  express  his  a])probation  of  the  converted 
savage  by  words,  Christ  gives  the  believer  his  own  puresi)irit  and 
good  conscience,  and  bears  witness  not  merely  ^()  him,  but  m  him, 
that  his  sins  are  taken  away.  Between  this  perfection  oi  ih^heart, 
and  i\\n,t 'jlorified  perfection  which  Christ  attained  by  the  cross, 
and  which  Paul  set  before  himself  as  the  ho))e  of  his  calling,  the 
way  is  long  and  difficult  enough  to  make  occasion  for  all  the  dili- 
gence and  energy  which  the  most  laborious  legalist  can  desire. — 
Let  the  reader  judge  for  himself  whether  a  good  or  an  evil  con- 
science is  most  favorable  to  alacrity  and  success  in  the  pursuit  of 
sanctification. 

Obj.  3.  "The  Christian  life  is  represented  in  scripture  as  awaj^- 
fareP  Answer.  It  is  indeed  a  w-arfare.  but  not  a  series  of  de- 
feaU.  It  is  not  necessary  that  wt  should  be  overcome  by  the  de 
vil,  in  order  that  we  may  resist  him.  Christ,  while  he  was  in  the 
flesh,  was  engaged  in  tremendous  conflicts  with  the  powers  of 
darkness  ;  yet  he  was  without  sin.  Paul  called  the  warfare  of 
his  Christian  life  a  "  good  fight" — an  appellation  certainly  not 
befitting  such  a  series  of  defeats  as  constitute  the  warfare  of  mod. 
ern  professors  of  Christianity.  Our  tlieory  of  Christian  life, 
while  it  equips  the  spiritual  soldier  with  a  pure  heart  and  a  good 
conscience  at  the  outset,  nevertheless  docs  not  discharge  him  from 
service.  To  Ixeep  his  heart  jiure  and  his  conscience  good,  in  the 
midst  of  a  world  of  pollution  and  accusation — to  follow  Paul 
and  Christ  in  the  way  to  the  glory  of  the  resurrection — will  cost 
him  many  and  sore  conflicts  with  his  own  corrupted  propensities, 
and  with  "  principalities  and  powers,  and  spiritual  wickedness  in 
high  places."  We  are  not  of  those  who  imagine  that  the  work  of 
winning  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  rest  of  heaven,  is  accomplished 
in  a  moment.    We  believe  that  all  who  are  in  any  stage  of  spiritual 


34  Miscellaneous  Objections. 

life  short  of  the  full  resurrection  of  the  body,  have  in  their  own 
compound  nature,  two  opposing  elements,  which  will  war  against 
each  other  till  that  resurrection  is  attained.  "  If  Christ  be  in 
you,"  says  Paul,  "  the  body  is  dead  because  of  sin,  but  the  spirit  is 
life  because  of  righteousness  ;"  (Rom.  8  :  10  ;)  and  again,  '•  The 
flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh  :  and 
these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the 
things  that  ye  would  ;"  i.  e.  the  desires  either  of  the  flesh  or  of 
the  spirit  must  be  mortified.  Gal.  5  :  17.  A  Christian  is  one  who 
"  walks  in  the  spirit  ;"  and  the  Apostle  says  expressly  that  such 
"  shall  not  fulfill  the  lusts  of  the  fiesh"  Nevertheless  the  lusts 
of  tlie  flesh  will  remain  as  long  as  the  hody  is  dead,  and  of  course 
the  conflict  between  the  flesh  and  the  spirit  will  remain.  An 
enemy  may  remain  on  the  borders  of  an  empire,  and  trouble  the 
inhabitants  with  much  hard  lighting,  and  yet  never  conquer  the 
empire,  or  even  win  a  battle. 

Obj.  4.  ■'  I  have  seen  an  end  of  all  perfection,  but  thy  command- 
ment is  exceeding  hroadT  Answer.  1.  The  assertion  in  the  first 
clause  of  this  quotation,  however  true  it  may  have  been  in  the 
mouth,  of  David,  is  not  true  in  the  mouths  of  modern  objectors  to 
the  doctrine  of  holiness.  Even  though  they  may  find  an  end  to 
the  perfection  of  all  the  Old  Testament  saints,  and  though  they 
may  think  they  liave  seen  an  end  of  the  perfection  of  all  modern 
claimants  of  holiness,  yet  they  have  not  seen  an  end  of  the  perfec- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ,  of  Paul,  or  of  the  mature  part  of  the  primi- 
tive church.  2.  Though  we  should  admit  that  the  law  is  as  broad 
as  the  objector  conceives  it  to  be,  yet  we  might  safely  say  that 
the  grace  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  is  still  broader.  But  some 
things  may  be  said  to  show  that  the  law,  as  viewed  through  the 
new  covenant,  is  not  so  "  exceeding  broad"  as  to  place  any  very 
formidable  difficulty  in  the  way  of  one  wlio  wishes  to  be  holy.  A 
thing  may  be  "exceeding  broad"  in  one  view  of  it,  and  exceed- 
ingly narrow  in  another.  For  instance  a  tree,  surveyed  from  a 
point  above  its  branches,  would  present  a  wide  circle  of  uncon- 
nected leaves  and  twigs,  which  the  inspector  might  well  despair 
of  ever  being  able  to  reckon  and  minutely  describe.  While  the 
same  tree,  viewed  from  a  station  where  its  trunk  could  be  seen^ 
would  be  a  very  simple  object,  easily  comprehended  by  the  mind, 
and  easilv  described.     So  the  law.  viewed  in  all  the  details  of  its 


Jfiscellaueous  Objections.  35 

external  development  and  with  all  the  ceremonial  additions  of 
the  Jewisii  economy,  is  vast,  comi)licated,  ineom[»rehensible,  pre- 
senting a  hopeless  task  to  the  will,  and  a  perpetual  stumbling- 
block  to  the  conscience.  But  the  same  law,  viewed  in  its  spirit- 
ual principle,  is  so  simple  that  a  child  may  comprehend  it.  It 
was  one  main  object  of  Christianity  to  call  off  the  minds  and 
consciences  of  men  from  the  branches  of  the  law  to  its  root. 
Christ  condensed  all  the  requirements  of  the  law  and  the  prophets 
into  the  simple  rule,  "  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do 
to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them."  Matt.  7  :  12.  Paul  said,  '' IL>  tJuit 
loveth  anoth&t\  kath  falfiUed  the  law:  for  this,  Thou  shalt  not 
commit  adultery,  Thou  shalt  not  kill,  Thou  shalt  not  steal.  Thou 
shalt  not  bear  false  witness.  Thou  shalt  not  covet ;  and  if  there 
be  any  other  commandment,  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in  this 
saying.  Thou  shalt  love  tliy  neighbor  as  thyself.  Love  worketh 
no  ill  to  his  neighbor  ;  therefore  love  is  the  frdfiUing  of  the  law." 
Rom.  13  :  8-10.  And  again,  "All  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word, 
even  in  this,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  Gal.  5  :  14. 
Thus  the  law,  viewed  through  the  new  covenant,  instead  of  being 
"  exceeding  broad,"  is  as  narrow  as  one  little  word,  love.  The 
question  before  the  mind  of  one  who  seeks  after  holiness,  is  not 
whether  he  can  duly  observe  all  the  ordinances  of  the  Jewish  or 
Christian  ritual,  or  whether  he  can  vmniediately  perform  all  the 
good  works  which  may  be  conceived  of  as  resulting  from  tlie  prin- 
ciple of  the  law,  when  it  is  perfectly  developed  in  external  action, 
but  simply  whether  he  can  hve.  If  he  does  this  one  thing,  the 
word  of  God  authorizes  his  conscience  to  be  content ;  for  "  love 
is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  This  root  of  all  righteousness,  this 
cure  for  the  conscience,  is  [provided  for  in  tlie  gospel,  not  by  the 
application  of  a  written  commandment,  but  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  He  that  believes,  loves,  not  by  the  power  of  his  own 
will,  but  because  "  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  his  heart  by 
the  Holy  Ghost."  Thus  Christ,  by  first  concentrating  the  whole 
law  into  the  simple  requirement  of  love,  and  then  converting  that 
requirement  into  a  spiritual  gift,  is  "  the  end  of  the  law  for  right- 
eousness to  every  one  that  believeth."  Tiie  exceeding  breadth  of 
the  commandment  is  no  hindrance  to  one  who  looks  not  to  the 
commandment  but  to  Clirist  for  salvation  from  sin.  So  much 
antinomianism  is  certainly  part  of  the  gospel. 


36  Christian  Faith. 


YIIL    CHRISTIAN   FAITH  — THE  ACT   BY  WHICH 
SALVATION   FROM   SIN   IS   ATTAINED. 

The  gospel  offers  salvation  from  sin  as  a  free  gift.  Of  course 
the  first  thing  to  be  done  by  one  who  seeks  that  salvation,  is  to 
clear  away  the  rubbish  of  his  own  works.  He  must  heartily  re- 
pent, not  only  of  his  manifest  sins,  but  of  his  supposed  works  of 
righteousness.  All  works  that  are  not  the  fruit  of  God's  life  in 
the  soul  are  ""dead  works"  utterly  loathsome  to  one  whose  eyes 
are  open  to  spiritual  truth.  Let  the  inquirer  settle  it  in  his  lieart 
that  "  there  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is  God  ;"  that  tlie  right- 
eousness of  every  being  in  the  universe,  from  the  highest  archangel 
to  the  lowest  saint,  is  the  righteousness  of  God  :  and  of  course 
that  he  is  not  to  make  himself  righteous  by  tnorl-ing,  but  is  to  be 
made  righteous  by  receivirKj  grace ^  and  he  will  see  the  necessity 
of  setting  his  face  io^iw(\.  tXxa  at-one-ment :  sjjiritual  union  with 
God,  instead  of  '"  doing  duty,"  will  become  the  object  of  his  efforts 
and  hopes. 

In  order  to  attain  this  union,  its  nature  must  first  be  clearly 
ascertained.  We  will  therefore  look  at  some  specimens  of  Bible 
lano'uage  concerning  the  condition  of  those  who  attained  it  in  the 
apostolic  age.  Paul  says — "  I  am  crucified  with  Christ  :  never- 
theless I  live  ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveih  in  me."  Here  is  tiie 
reconciliation  embodied — God  and  man  made  one.  We  must  not 
explain  away  this  testimony,  by  calling  the  \^\\^\\.?i,^q figurative. 
Spirits  can  dwell  in  each  other,  if  bodies  cannot.  Paul  means 
that  the  spirit  of  Christ  (which  is  the  same  as  Christ  himself) 
actually  lived  and  wrought  righteousness  in  him.  In  another 
place  he  says,  "  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none 
of  his  ;"  and  then  immediately  adds,  "  If  Christ  he  in  you,  the 
body  is  dead  because  of  sin,"  &c.  ;  Rom.  8:9,10;  from  which  it 
is  evident,  that  to  have  the  spirit  of  Christ,  is  the  same  thing  as 
to  have  Christ  himself  indwelling.  The  church  is  the  "  body  of 
Christ :"  and  as  a  man's  life  dwells  in  every  member  of  his  body, 
so  Christ  dwells  in  every  member  of  his  church.  "  Know  ye  not 
your  own  selves,"  says  the  apostle,  "  how  that  Christ  is  iti  you 
except  ye  be  reprobates  ?"  2  Cor.  13:5.  The  condition,  then,  for 
which  the  inquirer  seeks,  is  one  in  which  he  can  truly  say — 


Christian  Faith.  37 

"  Christ  livetli  in  me."    The  necessary  consequence  of  that  condi- 
tion is  perfect  holiness,  because  Christ  is  perfectly  holy. 

We  now  come  to  tlio  main  question — How  is  this  union,  by 
which  Christ  dwells  in  the  soul  and  saves  it  from  sin,  to  be 
attained  ?  The  witnesses  of  the  New  Testament  answer  with  one 
voice — BY  FAITH.  What  wc  now  want,  therefore,  is  a  clear  dcfnii- 
tion  of  Christian  faith. 

"  He  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he 
is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him."  Every  form  of 
faith,  without  which  it  is  impossible  to  please  Gotl,  necessarily 
contains  these  two  elements,  viz  :  first,  a  belief  of  the  existence 
of  God  ;  second,  a  belief  of  his  benevolence,  and  of  course  an  ex- 
pectation of  a  reward  in  seeking  him.  The  man  who  has  never 
sought  (tfter  God^  may  exercise  faith,  thus  elementarily  described  ; 
and  indeed,  in  the  order  of  nature,  such  faitli  iimsf  precede  all 
attempts  to  secure  the  favor  of  God.  I  cannot  seek  access  to  a 
man  of  wliose  existence  I  am  ignorant,  and  I  shall  not  seek  favors 
from  one,  unless  I  believe  ho  has  the  power,  and  will,  to  do  me 
good.  Between  this  starting  point  in  the  race  of  faith,  and  the 
goal  which  they  have  reached,  to  whom  God  has  become  all  in 
all,  we  may  discover  and  describe  endless  varieties  and  degrees 
of  confidence  in  God.  If  I  believe  to-day  in  the  existence  of  a 
God  whose  locality  is  above  the  firmament,  and  to-morrow  dis- 
cover that  he  is  an  omuipresent  God,  I  have  advanced  a  step  ic 
the  course  of  faith.  Again  ;  if  I  believe  to-day  only  tlie  general 
proposition,  that  the  omnipresent  God  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that 
diligently  seek  him,  and  to-morrow  discover  that  he  actually. 
answers  my  prayers,  1  have  advanced  another  step.  II  I  sincerely 
and  diligently  seek  after  God,  ray  faith' will  increase  as  my 
knowledge  of  him  increases.  Discovering  his  care  over  me.  I 
trust  his  providence  for  temporal  blessings —perceiving  the  i)ower 
of  his  spirit,  and  tlie  holiness  of  his  character,  I  trust  !iim  to  keep 
me  from  the  ways  of  wicked  men.  Finding  that  in  his  presence 
is  fullness  of  joy,  I  trust  his  love  will  one  day  deliver  me  from  the 
bondage  and  darkness  of  a  sinful  nature,  and  lit  me  for  full  and 
endless  fellowship  with  himself.  As  God  reveals  his  gooil  will 
and  power  to  me,  my  faith  advances  from  one  blessing  to  another, 
till  that  righteousness  which  alone  can  qualify  me  for  the  enjoy- 
ment of  his  glorious  presence,  becomes  the  object  of  my  heart's 


38  Christian  Faith. 

desire  ;  and  trusting  in  him,  I  see  a  cloudless  prospect  of  eternal 
deliverance  from  sin  in  a  future  world. 

Thus  far  faith  advanced  under  the  Jewish  dispensation.  Thus 
far,  before  Christ  came,  God  had  revealed  himself  as  the  rewarder 
of  them  that  diligently  seek  him.  Abraham  received  not  the 
l)roinise  of  the  new  covenant,  but  saw  it  afar  off,  and  rejoiced  ; 
and  all  who  followed  in  his  footsteps  before  the  advent  of  Christ, 
though  they  "  obtained  a  good  report  through  faith,  received  not 
the  promise,"  but  stood  with  him  rejoicing  in  the  hoj)e  of  eternal 
righteousness.  The  effect  of  faith  in  this  stage  of  its  advance- 
ment, upon  the  character  and  conduct,  may  easily  be  seen.  As 
faith  is  necessarily  limited  by  the  revelation  which  God  makes  of 
himself,,  if  Abraham  diligently  sought  after  God — if  his  faith  kept 
pace  with  his  discoveries  of  the  good  will  of  God— he  was  "  per- 
fect" in  his  day  :  not  perfect,  as  being  conformed  to  the  image  of 
God,  but  perfect  as  being  conformed  to  his  imperfect  discoveries 
of  God.  It  is  manifest,  however,  that  his  perfection  can  be  no 
standard  by  which  the  perfection  of  those  to  whom  God  has 
farther  revealed  himself,  shall  be  measured.  The  legitimate 
effect  of  perfect  faith  in  the  imperfect  revelations  which  God 
made  to  man  during  the  Jewish  dispensation,  was  to  stimulate 
believers  to  the  performance  of  the  works  of  the  law.  In  ob- 
serving the  statutes  and  ordinances  of  the  law,  they  did  the  work 
of  servants,  because,  in  so  doing,  they  trusted  God  would  ulti- 
mately make  them  his  sons.  If  it  be  true,  as  many  seem  to  sup- 
pose, that  God  has  made  no  greater  revelation  of  himself  to  the 
world  than  was  given  to  Abraham  and  the  Jewish  saints,  we  may 
call  ourselves  believers,  while  we  rest  contented  to  stand  with 
them  as  servants  under  the  law,  in  hope,  not  in  possession  of 
righteousness.  But  if  Jesus  Christ  has  revealed  the  Father,  and 
this  revelation  is  worthy  to  be  called  the  glorious  gospel,  before 
we  call  ourselves  Christian  believers,  we  must  inquire,  What  is 
the  gospel  ?^and  whether  our  faith  corresponds  to  the  tidings  it 
brings. 

We  have  shown  that  the  glad  tidings  that  came  by  Jesus 
Christ,  presented  to  the  world  actual  salvation  from  sin,  and 
were  so  understood  and  realized  by  the  primitive  church.  If  this 
is  the  gospel,  sinners  are  not  Christian  believers  ;  for  the  taith 
which  corresponds  to  this  revelation  of  the  good  will  of  God, 


Christian  Faith.  39- 

must  be  inconsistent  with  the  commission  of  sin.  If  God  sent  his 
Son  into  the  world  for  the  purpose  of  saving  his  people  from  their 
sins,  they  who  trust  him  are  saved  from  their  sins,  or  God  is 
•defeated  in  his  purpose. 

What  then  is  the  nature  of  Chi  istian  faith  ?  How  shall  a 
man  who  believes  that  God  is,  and  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that 
diligently  seek  him,  become  a  believer  of  that  gospel  which 
brings  salvation  from  sin  ?  We  will  endeavor  to  trace  the 
transition. 

Suppose  the  man  stands  in  the  situation  of  a  Jewish  believer,  a 
sinner,  under  the  law,  but  rejoicing  in  the  hope  of  righteousness 
and  fellowship  with  God  in  a  future  world.  He  hears  that  God 
sent  his  Son  into  the  world  to  save  all  who  trust  in  him,  from 
their  sins.  This  is  glad  tidings  to  him,  and  he  willingly  believes 
it,  because  it  brings  that  salvation  to  his  door  which  he  had 
hitherto  supposed  afar  off.  Difficulties  and  objections  are  easily 
removed  from  the  mind  of  one  who  hungers  and  thirsts  after 
righteousness.  Suppose  then  his  mind  has  settled  into  a  convic- 
tion that  the  glad  tidings  he  has  heard  are  true.  Though  he  is 
not  in  possession  of  the  salvation  of  which  he  has  heard,  he  has 
advanced  in  faith  a  step  beyond  the  state  of  a  Jewish  believer. 
He  has  discovered  that  the  feast  which  he  before  looked  for  at 
the  end  of  a  life  of  labor,  is  ready  for  him  now.  He  withdraws 
his  thoughts  from  that  prospect  beyond  the  grave,  which  had 
cheered  him,  ceases  from  his  labor,  and  sets  himself  to  fmd  his 
Father's  table. 

The  question  before  him  now  is—floiv  am  I  to  be  saved  from 
5in  ?  The  gospel  answers — /;//  /he  power  of  God.  "  But  can  this 
be  done  consistently  with  my  free  agency?"  Ans.  If  God  could 
dwell  in  Jesus  Christ,  controlling  all  his  actions,  yet  leaving  him 
a  free  agent,  he  can  do  the  same  in  any  other  human  being,  to 
whom  he  can  gain  access.  You  know  by  experience,  that  he  can 
in  some  measure,  at  least,  manage  your  spirit,  and  dispose  you  to 
righteousness,  without  interfering  with  your  free  agency— why 
cannot  his  control  over  you  be  perfected  consistently  with  your 
freedom  ?  Moreover,  you  expect  to  be  kept  by  his  power  in 
■eternal  righteousness  after  death,  and  yet  to  be  free— Why 
should  you  doubt  his  power  to  begin  this  work  before  deatli  ? 
Suppose  the  inquirer  to  be  convinced  that  God  can  dwell  in  him 


40  Christian  Fhith. 

as  he  did  in  Christ,  and  save  him  from  sin,  leaving  him  free — a 
second  step  is  taken  towards  the  possession  of  a  perfect  sal- 
vation. 

The  next  question  is — "  How  shall  I  become  the  subject  of  that 
power  of  God  which  brings  salvation  ?"  The  gospel  answers,  hy 
faith  in.  his  Son.  "  What  is  faith  in  the  Son  of  God  ?"  Ans.  It 
is  a  conviction,  accompanied  with  a  confession  that  Christ  is  in 
you^  a  whole  Savior.      Unbelief  replies — "  Christ  is  not  in  me." 

Here  is  the  critical  spot  where  the  contest  between  the  devil 
and  the  Son  of  God  is  to  be  decided  ;  and  here  we  resort  to  the 
record  which  God  has  given  of  his  Son.  Let  it  be  remembered 
that  the  word  of  God  must  stand,  if  it  contradicts  your  previous 
conceptions  and  feelings.  If  it  declares  that  Christ  is  in  you, 
your  ignorance  and  unbelief  of  the  fact,  cannot  prove  tliis  declara- 
tion false.  On  the  contrary  it  may  be  proved  that  your  ignorance 
and  unbelief  have  crucified  the  Son  of  God  in  you,  and  tliat  he 
only  waits  for  the  permission  of  your  faitii,  to  burst  the  tomb  of 
your  heart  and  manifest  his  presence.  We  will  not  speculate 
upon  the  question  of  the  possihility  of  Christ's  presence  in  those 
who  are  ignorant  of  the  fiict.  You  cannot  dive  deep  enough  into 
spiritual  philosophy  to  prove  it  impossible,  and  I  cannot  dive 
deep  enough  to  show  you  how  it  is  true  ;  but  we  can  both  read 
the  plain  statements  of  the  word  of  God.  John  says  of  Christ — 
the  Word  of  God — "  In  him  was  life,  and  fJif  life  was  the  light  of 
men  ;  and  the  light  shinetli  in  dafJincs.-^.  and  the  darkness  compre- 
hendetli  it  not.  That  was  the  true  light,  wliich  lighteth  every  man 
that  Cometh  into  the  world.  He  was  in  tlie  world,  and  the  world 
was  made  by  him,  and  tJie  world  knew  him  -not."  John  1  :  4-10. 
From  this  passage  it  appears  that  the  life  of  the  Word  of  God, 
lighteth  every  human  being.  It  will  not  be  ])retended  that  the 
gospel — the  external  light  of  the  word  of  God — lighteth  every 
man  that  cometh  into  the  world.  What  meaning  then  can  be 
attached  to  the  passage,  unless  we  believe  that  the  Son  of  God, 
in  becoming  incarnate,  gave  life  to  all  Jit  sh,  "  came  a  light  into 
the  worUF  of  darkened  sjnrits,  so  that  he  is  actually  life  and 
light  to  those  who  know  him  not.  "  The  light  shineth  in  dark- 
ness, and  the  darkness  comprehendeth  it  not."  Shall  the  dark- 
ness therefore  deny  that  the  light  shines  ?  "  The  world  knew 
him  not."     Shall  the  world  therefore  denv  that  he  has  come  into 


Christian  Faith.  41 

the  world.  You  have  hitherto  been  ignorant  of  the  fact  that 
Christ  is  life  and  liglit  in  you — shall  you  therefore  deny  the  fact, 
in  contradiction  of  the  testimony  of  God  ? 

The  following  passage  more  fully  unfolds  the  meaning  of  those 
we  have  already  examined.  "  Tliere  are  three  that  bear  witness 
in  earth,  the  spirit,  and  the  water,  and  the  blood  :  and  these  three 
agree  in  one.  If  we  receive  the  witness  of  men,  the  witness 
of  God  is  greater  :  for  this  is  the  witness  of  God  which  he  hath 
testified  of  his  Son.  He  that  bclieveth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath 
tiie  witness  in  himself:  he  that  bclieveth  not  God,  hath  made 
him  a  liar  ;  because  he  bclieveth  not  the  record  that  God  gave 
of  his  Son.  And  this  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  'jiven  to  us 
eternal  life:  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  1  Jno.  5  :  8-11. 
There  are  three  agents,  or  elements  of  salvation  in  the  spiritual 
world,  corresponding  to  spirit,  (or  air,)  water,  and  blood,  in 
tlie  natural  world.  Water  is  that  which  cleanses  the  outside, 
(see  John  15  :  3  ;  Ei)h.  5  :  26,)  to  which  the  external  word 
corresponds.  "  Blood  is  the  life"— the  vital  element  of  tlie  in- 
ward man.  So  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the  life  of  the  soul. 
The  spirit  or  air  is  the  medium  in  which,  and  by  which  the  blood 
and  water  have  their  action,  and  without  which  the  blood  would 
be  useless.  So  the  witnessing  Spirit  of  God  is  that  without 
which  the  blood  and  water  of  Jesus  Clirist,  /.  e.  his  spiritual  life 
and  instructions,  are  of  no  avail.  "  He  that  helievetlt  hath  the 
witness"  of  the  Spirit.  "  He  that  bclieveth  nof^  hath  the  Nood, 
i.  e.  that  life  which  is  light  shining  in  darkness,  and  perha])S  the 
water,  /.  .".  the  word  :  but  these  are  of  no  avail  without  that  faith 
which  admits  the  witness  of  the  Spirit.  The  life  of  Christ  is  not 
comprehended,  till  the  Spirit  bears  witness.  "  He  that  bclieveth 
not  liath  made  God  a  liar  ;  because  he  hath  not  believed  the 
record  tliat  God  gave  of  his  Sou  :  and  this  is  the  record,  t]i<it  God 
hath  (jivi-ri  to  us  eternal  life;  and  this  life  is  in  liis  Son."  The  life 
tlien  of  the  Son  of  (jod  is  actually  and  unconditionally  given  to 
every  man  hefore  helieving — else  how  can  unbelief  in  respect  to 
this  record  make  God  a  liar  ?  If  God  has  given  eternal  life  only 
to  them  that  believe,  unbelievers  cannot  be  required  to  believe 
that  God  has  given  tJiem  eternal  life,  for  this  is  not  true.  Yet  it 
is  plainly  declared  tliat  unl)olievers  make  God  a  liar  in  respect  to 
''  the  record  that  God  hath  o-iven  to  us  eternal    life."      These 


42  Christian  Faith. 

declarations  can  in  no  way  be  reconciled  with  each  other,  unless 
we  believe  that  the  "  eternal  life,"  i.  e.  the  Son  of  God,  (see 
1  John  1:2;  5  :  20,)  "  is  the  light  shining  in  darkness — that 
lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world."  Thus  believing, 
the  method  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ  is  a  plain  matter.  1. 
Every  man,  by  the  gift  of  God,  has  eternal  life  present  in  his 
spirit,  though  he  be  ignorant  of  the  fact.  2.  God  sends  forth  the 
word  of  his  gospel  to  apprize  men  of  this  fact.  3.  He  that  be- 
lieveth  this  word  receives  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  is  born  of  God. 
1,  The  blood  is  given  ;  2,  the  water  ;  3,  the  spirit.  Thus  God  is 
the  Savior  of  all  men,  ii2)ecially  of  them  that  believe. 

Again — "  As  by  the  offense  of  one  judgment  came  upon  all  men 
to  condemnation;  even  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one  the  free 
gift  came  upon  all  men  vnto  justiJic(ttion  oflifer  Rom.  5  :  18.  A 
comparison  is  here  instituted  between  xVdam  and  Christ,  in  which 
the  operation  of  the  righteousness  of  the  second  Adam  is  repre- 
sented as  reversing  the  work  of  the  first.  By  the  first  Adam  all 
men  become  partakers  of  a  fallen  nature,  which  is  nevertheless 
not  in  itself  sinful,  inasmucli  as  Christ  was  made  in  the  likeness 
of  it,  and  was  yet  without  sin  ;  thus  proving  the  possibility  of 
living  in  human  nature  witiiout  sin,  and  thereby  condemning  sin 
in  the  flesh.  "  By  one  man  sin  entered  the  world,  and  death  by 
sin  ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  tJiat  all  liave  sinned.'''' 
In  consequence  of  Adam's  sin,  all  men  became  partakers  of  a 
nature  not  necessarily  sinful,  but  unilbi-mly  ])rone  to  sin.  Each 
man,  hy  his  own  sin,  secures  to  himself  the  appropriate  curse  of  a 
sinful  nature.  By  reversing  this  statement  we  ascertain  the 
nature  of  the  work  of  Christ.  He  is  the  second  Adam,  the  root 
of  the  race.  By  him  all  men  are  placed  in  communication  with  a 
nature,  not  in  itself  righteous  in  tliem,  but  adapted  to  the  fulfil- 
ment of  righteousness.  Each  man,  hy  his  own  act.  i  e.  by  faith, 
secures  to  himself  the  appropriate  blessings  of  a  righteous  nature. 
The  gospel  announces  to  them  who,  by  sin,  are  following  the  first 
Adam  to  death,  that  God  has  given  them  through  Christ  a  new 
nature,  the  appropriate  fruits  of  which  are  righteousness  and 
peace.  Unbelievers  continue  to  follow  the  first  Adam.  Believers 
"  put  off  the  old  man,  and  put  on  the  new  man" — "  walk  not 
after  the  flesh  but  after  the  spirit" — are  saved  from  their  sins. 
As  there  are  now  two  Adams,  so  all  men  have  two  natures — the 


Christian  Faith.  43 

one  carnal  and  the  other  spiritual  ;  aurl  these  are  opposite  one  to 
the  other.  While  tlie  oM  man  lives,  the  new  man  is  crucified. 
When  the  new  man  lives,  the  old  man  is  crucified.  The  old  man 
lives  by  unbelief — tiie  new  man  by  faith.  By  tlie  gospel  we  are 
made  to  know  that  God  has  repaired  the  ruins  of  the  fall,  and 
"  we  are  no  longer  debtors  to  the  flesli  ;"  "  Christ  has  come  in 
the  flesh'" — not  in  a  single  man,  merely,  but  in  the  whole  of  human 
nature.  While  men  believe  not,  he  is  crucified  in  themselves. 
When  they  believe,  he  rises  from  the  dead,  and  reveals  himself  a 
conqueror,  in  themselves. 

Again  ;  "  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  this 
wise.  Say  not  in  thine  heart,  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  ?  (that 
is,  to  bring  Christ  down  from  above  ;)  or,  Who  shall  descend  into 
the  deep  ?  (that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  from  the  dead.)  But 
what  saith  it  ?  The  woed  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and 
IN  THY  HEART  ;  tliat  is,  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach  ;  [Paul 
preached  Christ ;]  tliat  if  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thy  heart  that  God  hatli  raised 
him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved."  Rom.  10  :  6-9.  This  is 
a  specimen  of  Paul's  metiiod  of  preaching  the  gospel.  To  those 
who  ask,  "  What  must  we  do  to  be  saved  ?"  he  answers.  Cease  to 
look  out  of  yourselves  for  the  salvation  you  seek — turn  to  the 
light  of  Christ  wiihin  ;  the  Word  of  God  is  in  your  heart :  when 
you  so  believe  this  that  you  are  willing  to  confess  it,  you  will  be 
saved  from  sin. 

We  will  now  take  for  granted  that  the  inquirer  is  intellectu- 
ally convinced  tliat  according  to  the  word  of  God,  Christ  is  in 
him^  and  that  he  must  believe  this,  in  order  that  he  may  receive 
salvation.  Now  he  asks — '•  How  shall  I  get  this  faitli  ?"  We 
answer  by  an  illustration.  Suppose  a  man  has  in  his  hand  a 
good  note  for  a  hundred  dollars,  which  he  supposes  to  be  nothing 
better  than  waste  paper.  He  is  told  that  it  is  a  genuine  note. 
His  thoughts  run  thus — "  While  I  remain  in  unbelief,  this  note 
is  worth  nothing  to  me  ;  if  I  could  believe  .that  it  is  genuine.  I 
should  be  richer  by  a  hundred  dollars,  in  feeling  and  fact,  than  I 
am  now  ;  how  shall  I  get  this  faith  ?"  Common  sense  answers. 
By  examining  the  note,  and  the  character  of  the  maker  of 
it.  The  Bible  is  the  record  of  the  will  of  God,  by  which  men 
are  declared  possessors  of  eternal  life.     Common  sense  teaches 


44  Christian  Faith. 

anv  one  who  wishes  to  believe  this,  to  examine  the  record  and 
character  of  him  who  gave  it.  If  an  intelligent  and  careful 
examination  of  this  kind  does  not  produce  faith,  the  reason  must 
be  sought  in  the  spirit  of  the  inquirer.  He  stands  at  the  gate  of 
a  kingdom,  into  which  no  idols  can  be  carried.  He  knows  if  he 
believes  and  confesses  that  Ciirist  is  in  him,  he  will  be  severed 
from  every  object  of  earthly  affection.  Men  do  not  readily  be- 
lieve tidings  which  cross  their  interests.  "  How  can  ye  believe, 
who  receive  honor  one  of  another,  and  seek  not  tliat  honor  which 
coinoth  fi-oni  (kjd  only."  Is  it  asked,  What  shall  a  man  do,  whose 
heart  is  wedded  to  some  earthly  object,  who  yet  desires  to  be- 
lieve ?  We  answer,  Your  case  is  ho}»cless  ;  unless  by  some  means 
you  shall  l)e  brought  to  abandon  your  idol.  You  can  never  with 
the  heart  believe  the  word  of  God,  while  your  heart  is  otherwise 
engaged.  While  the  god  of  this  world  blinds  your  mind,  tiie 
glorious  gospel  can  never  shine  into  it.  The  man  who  is  willing 
to  part  with  every  thing  for  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  who  sin- 
cerely hungers  and  thirsts  after  righteousness,  will  easily  believe 
the  word  which  announces  his  salvation.  When  an  honest  man 
gives  an  account  of  events,  which  even  involve  no  special  inter- 
est, his  hearers  believe  him  as  a  matter  of  course.  No  effort  to 
believe  is  thought  of.  But  how  easily  and  eagerly  do  men  believe 
when  they  hear  good  tidings  touching  a  matter  concerning  which 
they  have  been  anxious  !  If  I  am  in  a  state  of  anxious  suspense 
about  the  safety  of  a  friend,  and  a  messenger  brings  the  word, 
"  He  is  safe !"  the  eager  joy  of  faith  rushes  through  me  like  an 
electric  shock — I  have  immediate  peace  in  believing.  So  the 
gospel  is  no  sooner  heard  than  believed,  by  one  who  truly  thirsts 
for  the  water  of  life.  When  he  hears  the  word  of  God,  ''  Christ 
is  in  you,  a  conqueror  over  sin  and  death  ! — all  is  safe !" — he  be- 
lieves at  once,  and  believing,  passes  from  death  unto  life. 

If  the  inquirer  declares  himself  willing  to  part  with  his  idols, 
and  yet  cannot  believe,  we  must  search  througli  his  sj)irit  again 
for  the  reason  of  his  unbelief.  Periiaps  he  is  saying  in  his  heart, 
"  I  would  believe,  if  I  could  feel  that  Christ  is  in  me,  and  I  am 
saved  :"  in  other  words,  "  I  will  believe  the  testimony  of  my  own 
feelings,  but  not  the  word  of  God."  This  is  wrong.  A  right 
spirit  says,  "  Let  God  be  true,  and  every  man  a  liar — God  says 
he  has  given  me  his  Son  and  eternal  life  ;  mv  feelinos  contradict 


Christian  Faith.  45 

his  record  ;  my  feelings  are  the  liars — God  is  true  ;  I  know  and 
will  testify  that  Christ  is  in  me  a  whole  Savior,  because  God 
declares  it,  whether  my  feelings  accord  with  the  testimony  or 
not."  If  you  wish  for  peace  and  salvation  by  the  witness  of  the 
Spirit,  before  you  believe,  you  wish  for  the  fruit  before  tiiere  '\> 
any  root.  Rigliteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  arc 
the  consequences  of  faith  ;  the  word  of  God,  and  that  only,  is  its 
foundation.  The  man  who  holds  the  note  for  a  liundred  dollars, 
in  unbelief,  cannot  expect  io  feel  richer  than  usual,  till  he  believes 
the  note  to  be  genuine  ;  and  he  would  be  considered  a  very  fool- 
ish man,  if  he  should  say  in  answer  to  arguments  in  favor  of  the 
genuineness  of  the  note — "  I  feel  as  poor  as  ever,  therefore  the 
note  cannot  be  good."  Christ  says,  "  Behold  I  stand  at  the  door 
and  knock  ;  if  any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the  door,  I  will 
come  in  to  him,  and  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me."  Let  the 
inquirer  understand,  that  believing  the  word  of  God  opens  the 
door  for  the  admission  of  the  living  witness.  It  is  wrong  in  this 
situation  to  say,  "  I  would  open  the  door  if  I  could  see  him  who 
stands  on  the  outside."  You  cannot  see  through  the  door  of 
unbelief.  You  hear  the  Savior's  voice — that  is  enough — believe, 
open  the  door,  and  you  shall  see  him  and  sup  with  him.  While 
you  are  asking  for  sight  and  supper,  before  you  open  the  door, 
Christ  is  suffering  for  your  folly,  knocking  without. 

If  the  inquirer  is  now  convinced  that  he  is  not  to  look  for 
peace  before  believing,  but  in  believing  ;  nothing  is  wanting  to 
complete  his  salvation,  but  such  a  confidence  in  what  his  intellect 
perceives  to  be  the  truth  of  God,  as  will  produce  a  confession 
that  Christ  is  in  him,  a  Savior  from  all  sin.  He  can  try  his 
faith  by  such  a  question  as  this — "  Am  I  v^illing  without  further 
evidence,  relying  solely  on  the  testimony  of  God,  to  confess  Christ 
a  whole  Savior  ?"  Confession,  or  a  willingness  to  confess  Christ, 
is  the  accompaniment  rather  than  the  consequence  of  faith.  In- 
tellectual belief  becomes  an  active  principle,  a  belief  of  the  heart, 
in  the  very  act  of  confession.  It  is  to  no  purpose  in  this  spot, 
to  make  experiments  upon  God,  as  many  have  attempted  to  do, 
by  undertaking  to  believe,  while  confession  is  withheld  till  the 
success  of  faith  is  ascertained.  A  whole-hearted  and  everlasting 
surrender  to  the  faithfulness  of  God  alone,  can  secure  the  fulfil- 
ment of  his  oromises  to  faith.     Such  a  surrender  can  be  made 


46  The  Spiritual  Man. 

only  by  a  confession,  which  leaves  no  way  for  retreat.  Men  are 
permitted  to  cuter  the  kingdom  only  on  condition  of  destroying 
the  bridge  behind  them. 

As  God  is  true,  the  man  who  thus  confesses  Christ,  shall  be 
confessed  of  him,  before  the  Father.  His  peace  shall  be  like  a 
river,  and  his  righteousness  as  the  waves  of  the  sea.  By  the 
witness  of  the  Spirit,  he  shall  know  that  he  is  a  child  of  God, 
and  that  "  whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin  :  for 
his  seed  remaineth  in  him  ;  and  he  cannot  sin,  because  he  is  born 
of  God." 


IX.  CHARACTERISTICS    OF    THE    SPIRITUAL    MAN. 

We  have  shown  tliat  there  were  two  classes  of  believers  in  the 
primitive  church — a  carnal  class,  not  free  from  sin,  though  bap- 
tized with  the  Spirit — and  a  spiritual  or  perfect  class,  to  whom 
alone  belonged  the  title  of  "  sons  of  God."  We  have  shown 
also  that  the  transition  from  the  first  to  the  second  class,  though 
not  very  distinctly  marked  in  the  writings  of  the  apostles,  clearly 
took  place  in  individual  cases  as  early  as  the  middle  of  the  apos- 
tolic age,  and  in  greater  numbers  at  a  later  period.  We  have 
ascribed  this  transition  to  the  power  of  Christ's  resurrection, 
apprehended  and  appropriated  by  the  believer  in  his  inmost  life  ; 
and  we  have  defined  the  act  of  faith  which  thus  appropriates  full 
salvation.  We  propose,  in  conclusion,  to  examine  the  records  of 
the  primitive  church  with  a  view  to  obtaining  a  more  exact  idea 
of  the  traits  of  character  which  distinguish  spiritual  from  carnal 
believers. 

1.  The  first  point  we  notice  is  that  the  spiritual  man  ha,s  a 
renewed  mind.  "He  that  is  spiritual,"  says  Paul,  "judgeth 
[^.  e.  discerneth]  all  things."  1  Cor.  2  :  15.  The  reason  of  this  is 
that  he  "  has  the  mind  of  Christ."  v.  16.  His  intellect  is  not 
only  under  the  influence  of  that  spirit  which  "  searcheth  the  deep 
things  of  God,"  but  is  assimilated  to  it,  and  acts  in  unison  witii 
it.  He  has  the  mind  of  the  "  new  man  which  is  renewed  in 
knowledge  after  the  image  of  him  that  created  him."  Col.  3  :  10. 
(See  also  Eph.  4  :  23,  and  Rom.  12  :  2.)  This  renewed  mind  is 
strong  and  penetrating.     Like  the  Word  of  God  by  which  it  is 


The  Spiritual  Man.  47 

created,  aLcl  to  wliich  it  is  assimilated,  it  is  "  quick  and  powerful, 
sharper  than  any  two-edged  swortl,"  and  in  a  certain  sense  we  may 
say  that  "  all  things  are  naked  and  open  to  it."  "  We  speak  wis- 
dom," says  Paul,  "-among  them  thud  are  perfect — even  the  hidden 
wisdom  of  God  in  a  mystery.  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  whic'i  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him.  But  he  hath  revealed 
them  unto  Ufi  hy  his  Spirit,  which  things  also  we  speak."  1  Cor. 
2  :  (3-13. 

2.  Another  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  spiritual  man 
is  a  loving  heart.  Paul  says  in  the  sequel  of  the  discourse  from 
which  we  have  just  quoted  :  "  Ye  are  yet  carnal  ;  for  whereas 
there  is  among  you  envying  and  strife  and  divisions,  [or  fac 
tions^  are  ye  are  not  carnal  and  vmlTi,  as  men  ?"  1  Cor.  3  :  3. 
He  does  not  halve  the  matter.  He  recognizes  no  such  thing  as 
an  envious,  contentious  spiritual  man.  The  import  of  his  testi- 
mony is  that  among  spiritual  believers  there  is  no  quarreling. 
This  result  flows  in  part  from  the  fact,  already  brought  to  view, 
that  such  believers  have  a  renewed  mind,  the  mind  of  Christ,  and 
consequently  think  in  unison.  But  its  true  source  is  the  renewed 
heart.  The  spiritual  man  "  dwells  in  love."  He  has  gained  the 
crown  of  all  attainments,  the  "  the  bond  of  perfectness,"  which 
is  charity.  Carnal  believers  may  have  many  of  the  external 
gifts  of  the  Spirit ;  but  the  spiritual  only  have  that  loving  heart 
which  "  -suffe'tlh  long,  and  is  kind,  envieth  not,  vaunteih  not  itself,  is 
not  puffed  up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seekelh  not  her  own,  is 
not  easily  provoked,  thinketh  no  evil ;  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  hut 
rejoiceth  in  the  truth  ;  heareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeih 
all  things,  endureth  all  things  ;  never  fa  ileth ."  1  Cor.  13  :  ^8.  This 
unquestionably  is  the  grand  attainment  Avhich  divides  the  spirit- 
ual from  the  carnal  believer — the  full  born  son  of  God  from  the 
"  babe  in  Christ."  For  Paul  says  :  "  Though  I  speak  with  the 
tongues  of  men  and  of  angels.,  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  become 
as  sounding  brass  and  a  tinkling  cymbal ;  and  though  I  have  tl:e 
gift  of  prophecy,  and  understand  all  mysteries,  and  all  knowledge, 
and  though  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  could  remove  mountains, 
and  have  not  charity,  I  am  nothing  ;  and  tliough  I  bestow  all  my 
goods  to  feed  tlie  poor,  and  though  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned, 
and  have  not  charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing."   1  Cor.  13  :  1-3. 


48  The  Spiritual  Man. 

Here  are  many  and  great  gifts  and  graces  whicli  a  man  may  have 
and  yet  not  be  a  son  of  God.  It  should  be  noticed  that  charity  is 
distinguished  not  only  from  gifts  of  utterance,  -revelations,  and 
wonder-working  ftiith,  but  even  from  that  which  is  commonly 
accounted  charity,  viz.,  benevolence  to  the  poor,  and  from  self- 
sacrificing  devotion.  Indeed,  any  one  who  will  study  the  defin- 
ition of  charity  above  quoted,  will  perceive  that  it  is  far  from 
being  that  outward-bound,  bustling  quality  of  character  which 
usually  passes  for  religious  benevolence.  Its  elements  are  mostly 
negative.  The  idea  of  "  doing  good  "  is  not  very  prominent  in 
it,  but  as  Paul  says  of  it  in  another  place,  "  it  workeih  no  111." 
It  is  just  that  quality  which  fits  a  man  to  live  in  social  contact 
witli  his  fellow  men,  without  giving  offense^  and  without  taking 
offunsc.  It  implies  a  thorough  extinction  of  selfishness,  a  perfect 
appreciation  of  the  interests  of  others  and  of  the  value  of  peace, 
and  a  quiet  reliance  on  tiie  faithfulness  of  eternal  love. 

3.  Another  characteristic  of  the  spiritual  man  is  an  unquench- 
able  desire  of  progreHs.  Paul  was  certainly  a  fit  representative  of 
the  spiritual  class.  Let  us  see  what  was  his  state  of  mind.  He 
says  :  "■  I  count  all  tilings  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  Christ  :  .  .  .  that  I  may  know  him  and  the  power  of  his 
resurrection  and  tlie  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being  made  con- 
formable to  his  death,  if  by  any  means  I  might  attain  unto  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead  :  not  as  though  I  had  already  attained^ 
either  were  already  perfect:  but  I  follow  after,  if  that  I  may 
apprehend  that  for  which  also  I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus. 
Brethren  I  count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended^  hut  this  one  thing 
I  do ;  forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind^  and  reaching  forth 
unto  those  things  which  are  before^  I  press  toward  the  mark  for  the 
prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus^  Phil.  3  :  8-15. 
Was  there  ever  a  more  vivid  expression  of  God-like  ambition ! 
The  apostle  adds  :  "  Let  us,  therefoee,  as  many  as  be  perfect. 
BE  thus  minded  ;"  and  "  thus  minded  "  will  every  one  be  who  is 
truly  spiritual. 

the  end. 


